APPLE CINNAMON PECAN CAKE with PECAN PRALINE ICING, my original recipe

I created this recipe for a church contest for the Fall 

Festival & Hayride . I tied with a Chocolate Cake for

First Place . 

1 box Butter Recipe Yellow Cake
mix, mixed according to the box

add to it :
1 small box Instant Vanilla
Pudding,dry mix only
2 Tbsps. ground Cinnamon

                        1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

2 large Apples,skin on,chpd. fine,(Gala or Washington)
1 cup Pecans, chopped fine,+ more for garnish

                        Preheat oven to 350° now .

Spray a bundt pan with Pam or 2 cake pans, 8" or 9".
Pour batter into the pans.

Bake approximately 38 minutes, or until a toothpick
inserted in the center of the cake, comes out clean.

Let cake cool in the pan, about 10-15 minutes, then, place a rack on top of the cake and gently flip the
cake .  Cool completely before icing.

Praline Icing with Pecans :

1 bar real Butter
2 cups Sugar
1 can of Pet or Carnation Evaporated Milk



Through a happy little accident , I learned that I
can make this Icing in less
than half the time it normally
takes.  Here is how.

Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pot, such as a Magnalite Pot.  It heats more evenly.
**Do not melt the butter on High heat or it will burn.
I like Medium to Medium High.
Once the butter is melted, and not before, add the
sugar and stir until the sugar is coated and begins
to melt, then, ****Slowly, add the evap. milk, ***STIRRING CONSTANTLY; bringing the mixture
to a boil.   Stir vigorously, until the praline mixture
 begins to thicken; when the bottom of the pot is
scraped with a wooden spoon down the middle, the Praline will be thick enough to stay separated down
the middle; it will make a spitting sound. ***This is
when you will know that it is thick enough to remove from the heat.

 Having placed the cooled cake or cake layer on the
cake plate, pour hot Icing in a circle over the Bundt
cake , or pour half of the icing in a circle over the 1st
layer of the cake, if making a round or square layer
cake and immediately top it with Pecans. Spread
Praline on the layer cake, if needed.
Place 1st layer on the cake plate before pouring
Icing on it,then, top with 2nd layer and pour remain-
ing Praline on 2nd layer and top with chopped
Pecans. **If the Praline cooled too much for 2nd
layer, add a little bit of milk to it and beat it well,
then, pour it over the top cake layer and top with
Pecans while it is still moist.

Let set before cutting .  It is a very, very moist cake.
The taste reminds me of Fall.
Fabulous with coffee or an ice cold glass of milk.
~Enjoy~