Apple Spice Bundt Cake With Cream Cheese Filling and Rich Dark Chocolate Glaze

Apple Spice Bundt Cake with Cheesecake Filling and Rich Dark Chocolate Glaze

Notes:

★ Original recipe:

“Apple-Spice Bundt Cake with Caramel Frosting” Source: MyRecipes (website)

★ Steps are difference in sequences from original recipe according to my sister’s baking techniques such as mixing dry ingredients in wet ingredients, and etc.

★ Rich Dark Chocolate Glaze is my sister Sara Ali’s recipe (I made some changes to it to adjust the strength/bitterness of the chocolate)

★ Garnish was my personal addition. Ingredients: Pecans and chopped chunks of ------------ (photo in Comments)

★ Special Equipment: A 14 cup Bundt pan

INGREDIENTS

CREAM CHEESE FILLING

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract


APPLE-SPICE BATTER

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 large Granny Smith apples


RICH DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE & GARNISH

¾ cup icing sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

Water 2-3 tablespoons to begin, more added later to adjust pourable consistency of glaze

Milk, added according to taste

Vanilla essence, ½ tsp

Squirrel Brand Creme Brulee Almonds (from Costco)

★ Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F

★ Step 2: Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling:

Beat an 8 oz packet of cream cheese at fast speed

In a 2nd bowl, sift 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Add the sifted flour to the cream cheese and beat fast until combined

Last, add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until smooth

Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and beat to combine

★ Step 3: Prepare the Apple-Spice Batter:

Peel 3 large Granny Smith apples, chop them, and grate them in a food processor. Set aside.

In a bowl, sift dry ingredients: 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 ½ teaspoons cardamom powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon coriander, and 3 cups all purpose flour.

In a second bowl (attached to a mixer), add 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola), and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until well blended.

Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet brown sugar mixture, beating on low speed until just blended. Add apples, and beat on low speed just until combined.

★ Step 4: Prep the Bundt pan

Use a stick of butter (for a good hold) and rub each and every groove of the Bundt pan. This is the MOST important step, so sit down and give it time. Work your fingers and massage all the way to the top walls of the pan.

★ Step 5: Layering the Batter in the Bundt pan

Spoon half of the batter into the buttered 14-cup Bundt pan.

Dollop Cream Cheese Filling over the apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through batter using a knife. Spoon remaining batter over filling.

★ Step 6: Bake!

Place the Bundt pan in the center of the pre-heated oven on the top rack

Bake until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Mine was around 58 minutes. It is recommended to first bake for 50 minutes, do a wooden pick test and bake for 2 minutes additional at a time until the wooden pick comes out clean.

★ Step 7: Removal from Bundt pan

Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes

Remove from pan to wire rack (video for reference), and cool completely (about 2 hours). I placed mine in the fridge to cool after wrapping in plastic wrap. I let it sit overnight, but you can do a couple hours.

★ Step 8: Preparing the Rich Dark Chocolate Glaze

In a glass bowl, add ¾ cups icing sugar, ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla essence, and 3 tablespoons water and begin whisking.

Add more water a tablespoon at a time to get the glaze to thin out. Remember, milk will have to be added to lessen the bitterness of cocoa so do not overdo water.

When glaze is slightly thin, (not runny) taste for bitterness.

Add milk, a tablespoon at a time and continue whisking and tasting until you get the chocolate taste of your choice.

★ Step 9: Glazing and Garnish

Pour the glaze over the Bundt cake very slowly, allowing it to pour through the grooves.

Pour less over some areas, more over others for an alternating drizzle effect.

Video for reference.

I completely covered the middle hole of the Bundt on the inside, you may choose different.

For garnishing I used whole pecan nuts and chopped chunks of Squirrel Brand Creme Brulee Almonds (from Costco)