Spiced Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting 
serves/makes: 10
ready in: 1-2 hrs
Ingredients:
4 cups apples, peeled, seeded, and chopped into small pieces
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, walnuts, or dried cranberries (reserve 1/4 the mixture)
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8-ounce size) of regular or light cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup golden brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set aside. If you would like to make a layer cake, use two 8 or 9-inch round pans.
In a large mixing bowl, combine apples and sugar. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine all of the dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to apple mixture. Add milk and stir just until combined. Add nuts or cranberries.
Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool down for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Let the cake completely cool before frosting.
For Frosting:
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Scrape bowl. Add butter and beat until the mixture is very smooth and free from lumps. Add vanilla and brown sugar. Beat for five minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy and the sugar has completely dissolved.
Use the frosting to decorate the cake once it has cooled. Sprinkle the top of the cake with reserved nuts or cranberries for garnish. Refrigerate after frosting.
Recipe courtesy of CDKitchen.com.
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recipes like these for this time of year! They are always yummy 
