Apple Spice Bundt Cake W/ Maple Cream Cheese Glaze

After a bit of experimenting I concocted a recipe that just screams Fall at the top of its lungs. I love the taste of apples and spices, and the aroma! If someone could bottle the smell of this cake into a perfume I would be thrilled with life.

• Ready In: 1 hr 34 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  Splenda brown sugar blend
• 1⁄2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking (NOT the granular)
• 1  cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 2⁄3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1  cup light sour cream
• 5  eggs
• 4 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon allspice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon clove
• 3  cups  diced fresh apples (I used gala)
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1⁄2 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 1  teaspoon  maple extract
• 1⁄3 cup skim milk (enough to thin the glaze to the proper consistency)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease/flour a bundt pan.
2. In a bowl measure out and sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt) together. If you don't have a sifter, simply spoon the flour into the measuring cups and don't pack them down once full. Then stir or whisk in the remaining dry ingredients.
3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup of the butter and the sugars together until well-combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time.
4. To the butter mixture add the vanilla, light sour cream, and applesauce. Mix to combine.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ones (and I do mean gradually, i.e. 1/4-1/3 of the mixture at a time. Your kitchen may need redecorating but doing so by adding all of the flour at once and attacking it with your mixer isn't the way to go.).
6. Once all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, fold in the diced apples and the walnuts (if using). The batter will be fairly thick, so don't panic. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
7. Place the pan on the lowest rack of your oven and bake for 65-75 minutes.
8. When the cake is done, allow it to cool IN THE PAN for half an hour. (A fan placed behind the cooling cake to waft the aroma throughout your home is really nifty, but not a necessity).
9. While the cake is cooling make the glaze.
10. Whip the cream cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon of the butter until well-combined and fluffy.
11. Mix in the maple extract. Beat in the powdered sugar (again, gradually!) until all of it is well incorporated. Add the milk, in increments, until the mixture has reached a "glaze-like" consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
12. Enjoy!