Name: Maple Bacon Apple Cake with No-Bake Cheesecake Layer and Maple Bacon Frosting
Ingredients: ½ pound bacon; 1 ½ cups granulated sugar; 1 cup vegetable oil; 2 cups chunky cinnamon applesauce*; 4 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 3 8 ounce packages cream cheese (softened); ½ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup maple syrup; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; ½ cup unsalted butter (softened); 8 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temp); 4 cups powdered sugar; 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup; ½ pound bacon (cooked, drained, and chopped in food processor)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper.
Cook 1 pound of bacon (½ for the cake and ½ for the frosting), until crispy, using your favorite bacon cooking method. Drain grease, patting dry with paper towels. Chop into manageable pieces, and then process in a food processor with dicing option into tiny pieces.
Mix wet ingredients and then add all the dry ingredients and ½ of the bacon and stir to combine until just mixed but smooth. Do not overmix.
Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 37-45 minutes (mine was right at 40), or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Set cake aside to let it cool in the pans for 30 minutes to an hour, and then drag a knife along the outside of the cake to make sure it isn’t sticking to the pan at all before removing the cake from the pan.
Level the cakes using a leveler to remove the curved top. Toss top, or use in another recipe like cake pops or cake truffles.
Cream together cream cheese and sugar until smooth, with a hand-held mixer. Mix in maple syrup.
In a standing mixer, whip heavy cream until thick.
Stir whipped cream into the cream cheese and sugar mixture until smooth.
Spray a 9-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and place a parchment circle on the bottom of the pan. Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan and spread out evenly. Refrigerate the cheesecake layer for 4 hours or overnight, and then put in the freezer for 20 minutes before assembling the cake.
To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until it reaches frosting consistency. Add in bacon and maple syrup and mix in.
To assemble the cake, start with one of the layers top side down on a cake plate. Add a small amount of frosting over the cake layer, and then add the cheesecake layer. With a knife, scrape away any excess cheesecake layer that hangs over the cake, so it is even with the cake.
Add a small amount of frosting to the top of the cheesecake layer and then top with the remaining cake layer, top side down, and finish frosting the cake as desired.

Maple Bacon Apple Cake with No-Bake Cheesecake Layer and Maple Bacon Frosting

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