Two Recent Cakes: Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake and Lemonade Cake

I have been falling down on taking pictures of my stuff lately for you guys due to temporarily misplacing my camera...but it is now safe and sound and I can take pics again! Also (lucky for you guys) Pinterest has totally revived my cooking spirit so hopefully I will be posting a lot more often now since I am seeing all of these amazing recipes that I must try!

So recently I have made two cakes and they were both delish. The Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake is perfect for fall and you must try it NOW! The cream cheese swirl and praline frosting are what make this cake special. The Lemonade Cake may seem a bit summery but who cares? It is totally delicious and another doctored up cake mix...how can you beat that? And you don't have to zest or juice any lemons in the making of this cake...it is made with frozen lemonade concentrate! Can't be good right...wrong! I said the same thing but it is one of the best lemon cakes I've ever had.

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake (from Southern Living Magazine Sept 2011 Issue)

Cream Cheese Filling:
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons all-pupose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggm flour, and vanilla; beat until just blended.

Apple Cake Batter:
1 cup finely chopped pecans
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups of peeled and finely chopped Gala apples

Preheat oven to 350. Bake pecans in a shallow pan for 8-10 minutes or untit toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Stir together 3 cups of flour and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans. Spoon 2/3 of apple mixture into a greased and floured (or use Baker's Joy) 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon cream cheese filling mixture over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through the apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon remaining apple mixture over the filling. Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

Praline Frosting:
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar

Bring brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth and stir until mixture begins to cool and thicken slightly. Drizzle over cooled cake. Can add chopped pecans for garnish if desired

Lemonade Cake (from cookiesandcups.com)

Cake:
1 lemon boxed cake mix
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemonade from concentrate

Glaze:
2 tablespoons lemonade from concentrate
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
3 tablespoons lemonade from concentrate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2-8" round cake pans with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat all of the ingredients for the cake batter together on low for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake according to package directions until cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for about an hour, do not remove. When the cakes are cool, level them out so that they are flat on top. Poke holes in the cake using a fork.

For the glaze, combine the powered sugar, lemonade, and water in a medium bowl, stir until smooth. Pour equally over the top of the cake layers (still in the cake pans). Cover and let sit for at least an hour, but overnight in the fridge is best (cover with plastic wrap).

For the frosting, Cream butter and cream cheese together until combined. With mixer on low, add the lemonade and vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar and then beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until smooth.

When ready to frost, remove the cakes from the refrigerator and loosen around the edges with a butter knife so that the cakes will release easily from the pans. Stack and frost as desired.