1. Prepare Filling: Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended.
  2. Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pecans in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Stirring halfway through. Stir together 3 cups 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.
  3. Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon remaining apple mixture over Cream Cheese Filling.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cook cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).
  5. Prepare Frosting: Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and 3 tbsp milk to a boil in a 2-quart sauce pan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from hear, stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Pour immediately over cooled cake.

Makes 12 servings

Hands on time: 40 minutes

Total time: 4 hrs, 10 mins

From the kitchen of: Jill Jackson Price | Southern Living Magazine
Ingredients: CREAM CHEESE FILLING
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
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 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped Jackson's Orchard apples (Gala, ) (about 1-1/2 lb)
PRALINE FROSTING
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar