Walnut-Apricot Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups granulated sugar 
• 1.3 cups butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 5  eggs 
• 0.5 cup milk 
• 0.5 cup all-natural apricot nectar 
• 9 oz apricot dried chopped
• 1 cup walnut pieces chopped
• 1 cup powdered sugar 
• 2 tablespoons butter softened
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla 
• 4 teaspoons all-natural apricot nectar 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• whisk
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• toothpicks
• cake form
• aluminum foil
• spatula

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan with baking spray with flour. Wrap foil around bottom of pan to prevent leaking.
2. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, 1 1/4 cups butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with milk and 1/2 cup apricot nectar.
3. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the apricots for topping along with 1/4 cup of the walnuts. Stir remaining apricots and walnuts into batter.
4. Spread in pan.
5. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes.
6. Remove cake from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
7. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Using whisk, mix in 4 to 6 teaspoons apricot nectar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and consistency of thick syrup.
8. Drizzle glaze over top of cake; spread with spatula or back of spoon, letting some glaze drizzle down side.
9. Sprinkle reserved apricots and walnuts on top of cake.