Serves 8 – 10
I’ve just started a beginners photography class. It’s hard teaching this old dog new tricks. Let’s just say, I’m never going to be the star student, but I have got off auto, I have started to learn how to use my camera and I even know how to put up my tripod!
What I love about the course is that it’s really hands on and uber practical so when we had a class excursion to the Secret Garden, I knew I had to take cake. Because outings with cake are outings of the best kind. I knew I wanted to make this cake because it was one of the first bakes I ever blogged and it’s makeover has been a long time coming.
The day of the excursion dawned and it was windy as anything. I was so pleased I had cake because a) it was the only thing in the garden that wasn’t blowing in the wind and b) it was downright delicious. It turns out photography is hungry work!
I really had forgotten how good this cake tastes. I’m not sure what bit I love most, the lovely light texture courtesy of the sour cream, the sweet and juicy apricot chunks or the creamy white chocolate and sour cream glaze. To be honest, it would be rude to choose. My classmates loved it and my teacher declared it was the best cake she’d ever eaten. For realz.
I’ve updated the recipe with a Thermomix conversion and some photos from my excursion. An outing and cake – the perfect recipe for a perfect day.
What’s your idea of a perfect day? Have you learned anything new recently?
Ingredients
2 ¼ cups (335g) self-raising flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
125g butter, softened
¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
240g sour cream
400g can apricot halves, drained, roughly chopped
FOR THE ICING
90g sour cream
200g white chocolate bits
How to – Traditional
- Preheat oven to 180 C / 160 C fan-forced. Grease and flour bundt pan, see TIP below.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour and bicarb and combine. Set aside.
- Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Fold in the 240g sour cream and all of the apricots, then the sifted flour and soda. Don’t worry – the mixture will be quite thick.
- Spoon the mixture into the bundt tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden and springy and coming away from the sides of the pan. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
- Combine the 90g sour cream and white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on for 1 – 2 minutes or until melted, stirring halfway through cooking Allow the icing to cool a little and thicken. Drizzle the warm icing over the cooled cake.
How to – Thermomix
- Preheat oven to 180 C / 160 C fan-forced. Grease and flour bundt pan, see TIP below.
- Add the flour and bicarb to TM bowl and mix for 5 seconds on speed 5. Set aside.
- Insert the butterfly and add the butter, sugar and vanilla to the TM bowl. Mix for 1 minute on speed 4. Scrape down base and sides of bowl. Mix again for another 1 minute on speed 4. Remove the butterfly.
- With the blades running on speed 3, add the eggs through the hole in the lid, one at a time. This will take about 30 seconds.
- Add the 240g sour cream and the
- flour and bicarb mix. Mix for 10 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down base and sides of bowl and mix for further 10 seconds, this time on speed 5. Don’t worry – the mixture will be quite thick.
- Add the apricots and mix on reverse 10 seconds speed 3 using the spatula to assist.
- Spoon the mixture into the bundt tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden and springy and coming away from the sides of the pan. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
- Combine the 90g sour cream and white chocolate in TM bowl. Heat for 2 minutes at 60 degrees on speed 2, stirring halfway through cooking Allow the icing to cool a little and thicken. Drizzle the warm icing over the cooled cake.
Other info
Un-iced cake suitable to freeze.
Prep and Cooking time: 1 hour (+ cooling time)
TIP! For a beautiful bundt – brush the inside of the bundt with melted butter (getting in to all the nooks and crannies) and lightly flour the tin before pouring the mixture in.
