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Cinnamon Chocolate-Apricot Coffee Cake

From THE COTTON PALACE BED & BREAKFAST

Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 pkg (18.25 oz) plain white cake mix
3/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots or dried cherries
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pkg (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean or sunflower
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsps confectioners sugar

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly mist a 12 cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Set the pan aside.

For the streusel filling, place 2 Tbsps cake mix, the apricots, chocolate chips and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside the bowl.

Place the remaining cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase with mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and smooth. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Spoon the filling over the batter in the pan. Pour the remaining 1/3 of the batter over the filling and smooth it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it is light brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack to complete cooling. Or transfer the cake to a serving platter to slice and eat while still warm. Sift confectioners sugar over the top for garnish.

Directions

Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 pkg (18.25 oz) plain white cake mix
3/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots or dried cherries
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pkg (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean or sunflower
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsps confectioners sugar

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly mist a 12 cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Set the pan aside.

For the streusel filling, place 2 Tbsps cake mix, the apricots, chocolate chips and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside the bowl.

Place the remaining cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase with mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and smooth. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Spoon the filling over the batter in the pan. Pour the remaining 1/3 of the batter over the filling and smooth it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it is light brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack to complete cooling. Or transfer the cake to a serving platter to slice and eat while still warm. Sift confectioners sugar over the top for garnish.

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