Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups chopped apples ( granny smith and gala)

For Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray and flour a 9X13 pan.  Set aside.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.  Set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly sttir int he flour mixture.  The batter will be thick.  Stir in the apples until cake batter moistens.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes until cake is golden and set.
5. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
6. While cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting.  Beat the cream cheese until it is completely smooth, add the butter and beat until combined.  Add the vailla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Frost the cooled cake with cream cheese frosting. Top with caramel sauce if desired.