Apricot Cream Cake

Ingredients:

FILLING
•	1 cup chopped dried apricots (1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces)
•	1 cup water
•	1/3 cup sugar
•	1/3 cup chopped pecans
•
TOPPING
•	1/2 cup flaked coconut
•	1/4 cup sugar
•	1/4 cup chopped pecans
•	1 tablespoon Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening, melted
•
CAKE
•	Pillsbury® Baking Spray with Flour
•	1 (8 oz.) package low fat (Neufchatel) cream cheese, softened
•	1/2 cup Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
OR	1/2 stick Crisco® Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
•	1 1/4 cups sugar
•	2 large eggs
•	1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•	2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
•	1 teaspoon baking powder
•	1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•	1/4 teaspoon salt
•	1/3 cup milk
•
GARNISH
•	10 pecan halves
•	Smucker's® Caramel Flavored Topping
•	10 dried apricots, halved

Directions:

1	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 cup sugar. Cool completely. Stir in 1/3 cup pecans.
2	For Topping: COMBINE coconut, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup nuts and melted shortening in small bowl.
3	For Cake: HEAT oven to 350°F. Coat 10-inch springform pan with flour no-stick cooking spray.
4	BEAT cream cheese and 1/2 cup shortening in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until light. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar gradually. Beat about 7 minutes or until light. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes.
5	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.
6	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.
7	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.