Apricot Coconut Ring Cake

This recipe came from an old 1967 edition of 

Jiffy Cooking by Better Homes and Gardens.

From the first time I saw a picture of this cake, I wanted to make it!  So, really,...why did it take me 46 years to get around to making it!? Simple!!!!-- It's because I have more time these days to 'experiment' with baking things on my list of want-to-bakes!!

Once this cake was done, I liked everything about this cake EXCEPT for the fact that the halves of Apricots end up looking like the 'orangish' EGG YOLKS from our free-range chickens!   Because of that, when I make this cake again, I will be slicing the Apricot halves before adding them. 

INGREDIENTS:

2 of 15 oz. cans Apricot halves (well drained, but SAVE the juice!)
.....
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons saved/reserved Apricot juice/syrup
.....
2/3 cup flaked coconut
....
1 box of white cake mix (prepared with the usual egg whites, water and oil)
....
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon brown sugar
Remainder of saved/reserved Apricot juice/syrup

DIRECTIONS:

1. Drain Apricots, reserving (setting aside) syrup.
2. Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons saved/reserved Apricot juice/syrup, and 1/3 cup brown sugar; heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
3. Pour into a greased/sprayed tube pan (I used a one-piece non-stick kind of angel food pan).
4. Sprinkle coconut evenly over that.
5. Prepare cake mix according to package directions; spoon cake batter over coconut.   Bake on middle shelf in a 350-degree oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until done.  (I checked for 'doneness' with a very thin/pointed wooden skewer).
6. Cool for about 3 minutes; invert on plate.  Remove pan.
7. Place well-drained apricots on top of the coconut layer.  Because I used an angel-food cake pan to bake this, I just piled the EXTRA Apricot halves into the center hole of the cake.
8. Prepare glaze:  For glaze, mix 1 Tbsp.cornstarch and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in saucepan.  Add remaining apricot juice/syrup.  Bring to boil.  Cook until mixture is thickened (about five minutes?).  Spoon thickened hot/warm glaze over the top of cake and fruit, letting some run down the sides.
9. Some may prefer to enjoy this cake while it's warm-- I liked mine best after it cooled for a few hours because the very tender cake part then firmed up a bit.  Suit yourself.

This cake reminds me a little of the 

Pineapple Upside Down cakes-- 

yes, but ...with an APRICOT flavor!