Cinnamon-Apple Cake

Sent by Sue B from Frog Hollow Red

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup (6 ounces) block-style low-fat cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 to 4 cups peeled & diced apples
(I usually use 4 medium sized Honey Crisps)

Preheat oven to 350. Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla at medium speed until well-blended, around 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, and beat at low speed until blended.

Combine 1/4 sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 tablespoons of that cinnamon mixture and the chopped apples in a bowl. Stir the apple mixture into the batter. Pour batter into a greased (cooking spray or butter) 9" spring form pan. Sprinkle the top of the batter with the remaining cinnamon mixture.

Bake around 1 hour (when it pulls away from side of pan it should be done). Let rest at least 10 minutes before removing from pan. I usually remove the outside circle of the pan, and let it cool completely before I try to remove the cake from the bottom of the pan.

Yummy as a dessert or a breakfast sweet.