Apple Pecan Carrot Cake

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle 1 1/3 cups toasted pecans into 2 well-buttered shiny 9 inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottom and sides of pans.

Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients.

Stir together eggs and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Add flour mixture, stirring until just blended. Fold in apples, carrots, and remaining and 1 cup pecans. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 35 mins or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 mins. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour.)

Place 1 cake layer, pecan side down, on a serving platter. Spread top of cake layer with 2/3 cup Apple Cider Caramel Sauce, top with remaining cake layer, pecan side down. Spread Mascarpone Frosting over top of cake. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Caramel Sauce over frosting. Top cake with Spiced Pecan and serve.

Apple Cider Caramel:

Cook cider in 3 qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 10 mins or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-heat, stirring constantly, boil stirring constantly, 2 mins. Remove from heat and cool completely. Refrigerate up to 1 week. To reheat, place container with caramel sauce in bowl of very warm water (just below boiling boiling.) Stir until smooth.

Mascarpone Frosting:

Wisk together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl just until blended. Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold into mascarpone mixture.

Spiced Pecans:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour apple juice over pecan halves in a small bowl. Let stand 15 mins, then drain. Stir together sugar, apple pie spice, salt, and, if desired, red pepper in a medium bowl, add pecans, tossing to coat.

Spread in a single layer in a lightly greased foil lined 15 x 10 inch pan. Bake 15 mins or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 mins. Separate pecans with a fork.