Cinnamon Apple Cake

This is one of my favorite recipes. Years ago I subscribed to Cooking Light Magazine when I was trying to eat and cook healthy things for my family. This recipe comes from the October 1997 issue of the magazine. I still try to cook healthy but sometimes fall off the wagon. Too much of a good thing is always too much of a good thing. The article says that it is the cream cheese in the batter that gives the cake lots of moisture. I think the cake melts in your mouth. I served this recipe last week when we had company for dinner.

1 3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup stick margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsps ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped peeled Rome apple (about 2 large)
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, margarine, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
3. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 TBS cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.
4. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife. Yield: 12 servings.

Note: You can also make this cake in a 9-inch square cake pan or a 9-knch springform pan; just reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.