Apple Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Filling & Praline Icing

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups shredded peeled tart apples (i like to use granny smith)
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (use good vanilla if you have it, so worth it!)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. beat in 1 egg; set aside.
• 2 in a large bowl, beat oil with remaining sugar and eggs until well blended. combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into oil mixture until blended. stir in the apples, carrots and pecans.
• 3 transfer half of the apple batter to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan; layer with cream cheese mixture and remaining apple batter.
• 4 bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• 5 in a large saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil. cook and stir for 1 minute. remove from the heat; whisk in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. drizzle over cooled cake. sprinkle with pecans.