Apple Walnut Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

One of those cakes that you just can't stop eating. Help?

What makes this recipe great?

There's not much to say about this cake other than it's addicting. I personally am of the belief that there is nothing better than cream cheese frosting. It leans more towards the savory-sweet side rather than the sweet-sweet side and that combination is deadly and amazing.

The most important thing to remember (and I'm pretty sure I say this every time?) is to NOT over bake this cake! There is nothing worse than a dry cake with nuts. The batter is thick so the potential for over baking is high. It also doesn't brown as much as you would think so do the knife test- once a knife comes out clean take those puppies out and make sure to remove the cakes from pan ASAP. I know people say let it cool in the pan but don't do that with these- take them out warm as to avoid any potential for extra baking in the pans.

Prep it:

• 2 8 inch buttered and floured cake tins (doesn't have to be spring form but this helps!)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit

The apple and walnut cake:

• 3 eggs

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 cup sour cream

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 3 cups apple, finely chopped or grated (see note)

• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Note: I like using a cheese grater for this step! It prevents chunks of apples and gives you tasty little apple shavings.

Cinnamon cream cheese frosting:

• 300 grams cream cheese

• ½ cup salted butter (room temperature or warmed in microwave so soft)

• 4-6 cups powdered sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg
  

The Cake:

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. In a large bowl, with an electric hand mixer beat eggs and oil until combined and pale in color. Add sugar, vanilla and sour cream to egg mixture. Slowly add flour mixture until fully combined (make sure to check the bottom for flour!) and then stir in the apples and walnuts. Pour into buttered and floured cake tins and bake for about 30 minutes (again, CHECK CHECK CHECK! Avoid dry cake!) this process could be longer or shorter depending on your oven. Once knife comes out clean and the cakes are a very pale, light brown color take out of oven and remove from pans as soon as you can.

The Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat cream cheese and softened butter until fully combined and fluffy. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until it's at the consistency you like. Add vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Assembly:

Once cakes are completely cooled spoon frosting between the layers and frost the entire cake. I piped a border because I had extra frosting but this is an optional step! I added some extra walnuts as garnish and promptly had a large slice. ENJOY THE GOODNESS!