Apricot Carrot Cake

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup walnut oil*
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger**
• 2 cups finely shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup crushed unsweetened pineapple, well drained
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup tangerine or orange marmalade
• Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat ove to 350 degrees. Butter 3 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter paper. Dust with flour; tap out any excess.

In large mixing bowl, whisk eggs lightly. Gradually beat in sugar until blended. Beat in honey, walnut oil, and ginger until well blended. Add carrots, dried apricots, pineapple, and coconut and mix well.

In 2 additions, sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt right onto batter and fold it in. Divide among prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tester or wooden toothpick stuck into center of each layer comes out moist, with a few crumbs clingin to it. Let cakes cool completely in pans on wire rack and run blunt knife around edges before unmolding. After turning out layers, carefully peel of paper. Spreat about 3 tablespoons marmalade thinly and evenly over flat side of each layer. Chill layers for serveral hours before frost cake; layers firm up ad are easier to work with when cool.

To assemble cake, place one of cold alyers, marmalade side up on cake stand or serving plate and spread approximately 1/2 cup Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over marmalade all the way to edge of cake. Place second layer, marmalade side up, on top of first and cover with another 1/2 cup frosting. Finally, set third layer in place, marmalade side up once again, and ust remaining frosting to cover top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively..

*Cream Cheese Frosting:*

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners" sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Put cream cheese and butter into food processor and process until smooth and well blended.

Add half confectioners' sugar and pulse to incorporate. Repeat with remaining sugar and vanill then process until frosting is smooth and glossy.