This tasty Carrot-Fruit Bundt Cake is made with a healthier for you dessert in mind.  Most cakes of this type would contain about a cup of oil.  This cake only has a quarter cup of heart healthy canola oil while the remainder of oil is replaced with applesauce.  The carrots add beta-carotene to this dessert.  The glaze is made from fruit juices and honey topped with nuts.  Enjoy a slice of this cake, without regret.

CARROT-FRUIT BUNDT CAKE
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely diced
1/2 cup dried currants
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
4 cups shredded carrots
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

In a small bowl, set aside 2 tablespoons of the apricots and 1 tablespoon of the currants.

Combine the remaining apricots, currants, and ginger into flour mixture.

In another large bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, egg whites, applesauce, canola oil, carrots, and vanilla. Stir together well, using the back of the spoon to break up any clumps of brown sugar. Stir the sugar mixture into the flour mixture to blend. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn pan upside down and turn out the cake to cool completely on the wire rack.

GLAZE:

1 can (6-oz) pineapple juice
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp toasted, chopped pecans

While cake is cooling, combine the juices and honey in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and gently boil 12 to 15 minutes until glaze has thickened and has reduced down to about a third of a cup. Pour glaze into a small bowl and cool for 15 minutes. Stir the reserved (from the cake recipe) apricots and currants into the glaze mixture. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake, pressing fruit so it sticks to the cake. Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the cake, pressing lightly to stick.

Yield: 12 servings

NOTE: This cake is even better when baked a day ahead of serving, allowing the flavors to meld.

Enjoy!