Grand Apple Caramel Cream Cake

Prepare to heat oven & prepare creamy caramel cheesecake filling:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet of aluminum foil to cover the inside bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan, and grease the inside bottom and sides of foil lined pan. Grease and flour dust two additional 9-inche round cake pans; set aside. Prepare filling. In a large bowl, beat together filling ingredients, (2 packages , 8-oz. each, cream cheese, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup caramel sauce, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until creamy. Spoon creamy filling mixture evenly into greased aluminum foil lined pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set. Place onto a cooling rack for 15 minutes, remove aluminum foil with the baked filling from pan and place in refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

Prepare apple topping:

. In a medium bowl, add lemon juice and 4 cups sliced apples and toss together until combined. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 cup light brown sugar and cinnamon to melted butter and stir until blended. Add 4 cups apple slices into sweetened melted butter and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool completely about 30 minutes.

Prepare cake:

In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, mashed bananas, apple butter, 1 cup light brown sugar and 1/2 granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until blended and smooth. Add 2 eggs into cake mixture, and beat for an additional minute longer, or until blended and creamy. Add into cake mixture, 2 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and apple pie seasoning and reduce speed to low speed on electric mixer, continue beating an additional 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer, or until blended and smooth. Increase electric mixer speed to medium-high, and add buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into cake mixture, continue beating for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer, or until blended and creamy. Fold into cake mixture 1 cup finely diced apples until blended. Spoon cake mixture batter evenly into prepared two greased and flour dusted pans. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans onto a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack for 20 minutes, or until completely cooled.

Prepare creamy caramel frosting:

In a large bowl, beat 1 package cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup caramel sauce and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until blended and smooth. Reduce electric mixer speed to low and gradually add 5 cups confectioners' sugar beating for an additional minute, or until almost blended. Increase speed of electric mixer to medium-high speed and continue beating for an additional minute longer, or until well blended and creamy. Add remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar into frosting mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, continue beating with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, until a spreading consistency is reached.

Prepare and assemble cake:

Place one cake layer, bottom side up, onto the center of a round cake plate or round serving platter. Spoon and evenly spread cake layer with a thin layer of frosting to cover the top of cake layer on plate. Carefully invert aluminum foil containing chilled caramel cheesecake filling upside down over frosted bottom layer of cake on plate. Gentle remove aluminum foil from caramel cheesecake filling. Spoon and evenly spread an additional thin layer of frosting to cover the top filling layer and bottom cake layer on plate. Carefully place remaining top cake layer centered over frosted filling layer of bottom cake on plate. Spoon and spread frosting with a thin layer onto top layer of cake and spoon and spread a heavier and thicker layer of frosting to cover sides of cake. Spoon and spread the apple topping mixture evenly over top of cake or place apple topping mixture in decorative layers on top of cake, over lapping apple slices into spiral layers. Cut cake into 12 serving wedges and serve.