Heavenly Almond Apricot Layer Cake Recipes

HEAVENLY HONEY AND APRICOT ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 10 inch springform pan with non stick cooking spray or lightly coat with vegetable oil.
• Make fruit layer for the cake by mixing together the first 4 ingredients.
• Then sprinkle the flour over the fruit and stir a few times to blend.
• In a large bowl, mix honey, oil, arrowroot slurry and vanilla.
• In a small bowl, combine the flours, ground almond, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Sift flour mixture into the honey mixture and stir to blend.
• Pour slightly less than half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
• Spoon the fruit mixture evenly over the batter and then cover with the remaining batter.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Cover the pan with tin foil and bake another 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out cleanly.
• Cook cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the sides.
• Cool cake completely before slicing.

APRICOT ALMOND LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make macaroon layers:
• Trace 2 (8-inch) circles on 1 sheet of parchment paper and a third circle on second sheet. Turn sheets over and put on 2 baking sheets.
• Pulse almonds with 1 1/3 cups confectioners sugar in a food processor until very finely ground (mixture will resemble sand), 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and sift in remaining 2 cups confectioners sugar, then stir until combined well.
• Beat egg whites with salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add granulated sugar a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and continue to beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks, about 3 minutes.
• Stir whites into almond mixture until completely incorporated (batter will be thick), then divide batter evenly among traced circles on baking sheets (about 1 2/3 cups per circle), smoothing into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.Let rounds stand, uncovered, at room temperature until tops are no longer sticky and a light crust forms, about 30 minutes.
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 300°F. Bake macaroon layers, switching position of baking sheets halfway through cooking, until macaroons are crisp and edges are just barely pale golden, about 25 minutes. Turn off oven and let macaroons stand in oven 10 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheets on racks, about 1 hour.
• Make compote while macaroon layers bake:
• Simmer dried apricots in water in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until apricots are very soft and most of liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Stir in preserves, then cool completely.
• Make praline almonds:
• Heat almonds in a 12-inch dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until almonds are hot but not yet colored, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners sugar and continue cooking, stirring and tossing, until almonds are lightly toasted and sugar glaze is caramelized, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer almonds to a large sheet of foil and spread into 1 layer with a fork. Cool completely.
• Make mascarpone cream:
• Just before serving, beat together mascarpone, heavy cream, and Amaretto with cleaned beaters at medium speed until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup praline almonds, then fold remainder into cream.
• Put 1 macaroon layer on a platter and spread with one third of compote (about 1/2 cup), then spread one fourth of mascarpone cream (about 3/4 cup) on top. Make another layer with second macaroon in same manner. Top with remaining macaroon, remaining compote, and remaining cream (1 1/2 cups), then sprinkle with reserved praline almonds.

APRICOT ALMOND CAKE WITH ROSEWATER AND CARDAMOM

Steps:

• Put the dried apricots into a small saucepan, cover them with the cold water, and drop in the cracked cardamom pods with their fragrant seeds. Put on the heat, then bring to the boil and let it bubble for 10 minutes--don't stray too far away from the pan, as by the end of the 10 minutes the pan will be just about out of water and you want to make sure it doesn't actually run dry as the apricots will absorb more water as they cool.
• Take the pan off the heat, place on a cold, heatproof surface and let the apricots cool. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/gas mark 4/350 degrees F. Grease the sides of your springform cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.
• Remove 5 of the dried apricots and tear each in half, then set aside for the time being. Discard the cardamom husks, leaving the seeds in the pan.
• Pour and scrape out the sticky contents of the pan into the bowl of a food processor. Add the almond meal, polenta, baking powder, superfine sugar and eggs, and give a good long blitz to combine.
• Open the top of the processor, scrape down the batter, add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and the rosewater, and blitz again, then scrape into the prepared tin and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the apricot halves around the circumference of the tin.
• Bake for 40 minutes, though if the cake is browning up a lot before it's actually ready, you may want to cover loosely with foil at the 30-minute mark. When it's ready, the cake will be coming away from the edges of the tin, the top will feel firm, and a cake tester will come out with just one or two damp crumbs on it.
• Remove the cake to a wire rack. If you're using apricot jam to decorate, you may want to warm it a little first so that it's easier to spread; rose petal jam is so lusciously soft-set, it shouldn't need any help. Stir a teaspoon of lemon juice into the jam and brush over the top of the cake, then sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and leave the cake to cool in its tin before unspringing and removing to a plate.

HEAVENLY ALMOND-APRICOT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round pans with shortening; lightly flour. In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Spread batter in pans.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap; freeze 15 minutes or refrigerate 30 minutes. With long, sharp serrated knife, cut each cake layer horizontally into 2 layers.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat powdered sugar, 2/3 cup butter and 1/4 cup milk with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in vanilla, almond extract and enough additional milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable.
• In small bowl, stir preserves until softened. Cut up any large pieces of fruit. On serving plate, place 1 cake layer, cut side up. Frost with 3/4 cup frosting; spread 1/3 cup preserves to within 1/4 inch of edge. Repeat with second and third cake layers, frosting and preserves. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down; frost top and side with remaining frosting. Press sliced almonds generously onto side of cake.