Chocolate Apricot Upside down Cake

Ingredients

1/4 c butter or margarine; melted
1/3 c packed light brown sugar
1/4 c chopped pecans
17 ounces canned apricot halves, drained
1 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c Dutch process cocoa
1 1/4 ts baking powder
1/4 ts salt
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 ts vanilla extract

Instructions

Yield: 8 Servings. Heat oven to 375oF. In 9-inch round or 9-inch square baking pan, melt 1/4 cup butter in oven. Remove from oven. Add brown sugar; mix well. Spread evenly over bottom of pan. Arrange apricots in pan with rounded side down. Sprinkle pecans around apricots. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and butter. Add eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk and vanilla; beat until blended. Spread batter evenly over apricots. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately invert cake onto serving plate. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. CINNAMON WHIPPED TOPPING: In small bowl, combine 1 cup (1/2 pt.) cold whipping cream, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon; beat until stiff. About 2 cups topping.