Sweet and Spicy Chocolate Cake

This is a complex cake, loaded with subtle flavors; it's much more an adult cake than something for the kiddies. Also, it tastes much better after aging for several days, so let it rest, tightly wrapped, in your refrigerator for 3 to 4 days before serving. Adapted from a recipe by Syd at allrecipes.com.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for coating pan
• 1⁄3 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2  pinches table salt
• 1  cup  chopped  dried apricot
• 1  cup boiling water
• 5  ounces almond paste (by weight)
• 3⁄4 cup white sugar
• 4  eggs
• 2⁄3 cup  whole milk
• 3  ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2⁄3 cup  finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, melted
•  powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Grease and flour a 9x5x3" loaf pan or a 9" bundt pan. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
2. Soak chopped apricots in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix almond paste and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture looks sandy. Beat in eggs one at a time; beat for 2 minutes after each addition. Continue beating for about 10 minutes after the last egg is added; mixture should look thick and creamy.
4. Mix in milk, and then flour mixture. Mix only to combine the dry with the wet ingredients. Do not overbeat. Fold in apricots, chocolate, crystallized ginger, and melted butter. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour, until done. Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan, and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate 3-4 days for best flavor. Bring to room temperature then warm in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes, or microwave briefly before serving. Dust top with powdered sugar after warming.