Apricot Cream Cake
Prep Time: 1 Hr
Cook Time: 1 Hr
Serves 12 Servings
Difficulty Moderate
Ingredients
FILLING
- 1 C. chopped dried apricots (1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces)
- 1 C. water
- 1/3 C. sugar
- 1/3 C. chopped pecans
TOPPING
- 1/2 C. flaked coconut
- 1/4 C. sugar
- 1/4 C. chopped pecans
- 1 Tbsp. Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
CAKE
- 1 (8 oz.) pkg. low fat (Neufchatel) cream cheese
- 1/2 C. Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
- 1 1/4 C. sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 C. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/3 C. milk
GARNISH
- 10 pecan halves
- Caramel Flavored Topping
- 10 dried apricots
Directions
- For Filling: PLACE chopped apricots in medium sauce pan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover. Simmer 10 minutes or until soft. Stir in 1/3 C. sugar. Cool completely. Stir in 1/3 C. pecans.
- For Topping: COMBINE coconut, 1/4 C. sugar, 1/4 C. nuts and melted shortening in small bowl.
- For Cake: HEAT oven to 350°F. Coat 10-inch springform pan with flour no-stick cooking spray.
- BEAT cream cheese and 1/2 C. shortening in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until light. Add 1 1/4 C. sugar gradually. Beat about 7 minutes or until light. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes.
- COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Add to shortening mixture alternately with milk, beating at medium speed 1 minute after each addition. Spread half of batter (about 2 1/4 cups) into pan. Spoon cooled filling over batter to within 1/2-inch of edge. Cover with remaining batter. Sprinkle with topping.
- BAKE 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Loosen cake from side of pan with knife or metal spatula. Remove side of pan. Invert cake on wire rack. Remove bottom of pan using thin metal spatula or pancake turner. Cool 30 minutes. Place cake, top side up, on serving plate. Cool completely.
- For Garnish: BRUSH pecan halves lightly with caramel topping. Place 1 pecan half in center of each apricot half. Press apricot half around pecan. Place filled apricots around edge of cake.
