INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup butter softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup and 3 tablespoons cake flour sifted
1 tablespoon cocoa powder sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup B & R Farms dried diced Apricots
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon milk as needed
DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two six-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well-combined, about 2 minutes.
Add egg, oil, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla, and beat until well-combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, 1/2 cup B & R Diced Apricots and salt.
Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Add all the buttermilk, mixing until just combined, repeating with the rest of the flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the edges and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed.
Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans.
Bake for 21 to 26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Cool cakes in their pans for 10 to 15 minutes before running a plastic knife or spatula around the edges of the cakes to make sure they're not stuck to the pan. Remove cakes from pans and transfer them to a cooling rack (discard parchment paper). Cool completely before frosting.