Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

I found this recipe in Southern Living Magazine.  I had to share it here, a true fall favorite!

Swirl:

1 8-ounce pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tbsp. flour

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cake:

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. apple pie spice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups diced peeled apples (about 2 apples)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 tbsp. water

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. dark corn syrup

1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Garnish of chopped pecans if desired

Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a bundt pan with baking spray and lightly flour.

For swirl – in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until creamy.  Add confectioners’ sugar, flour, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Scrape sides of bowl and beat another minute.  Cover and refrigerate.

For cake – In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add milk, beating just until combined.  In a medium bowl, mix together flour, apple pie spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined.  Fold in apples and pecans. Batter will be thick.  Spoon half of batter into prepared pan, spoon swirl mixture on top of better, avoiding edges of pan.  Top with remaining batter. Using a knife, pull blade back and forth through batter to swirl layers together, smooth top of batter.  Bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean about 1 hour and 20 minutes.  Let cool in pan, remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.

For glaze – In a small saucepan, bring brown sugar, water, butter and corn syrup to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Add confectioners sugar and whisk for a minute. Let cool for a few minutes before drizzling over cake .  Garnish with pecans.