Serves 8 generously
Now that I’m a wannabe minimalist, I might be less about the gift giving but I’m all about the fuss making, and more to the point, cake making because as Julia Childs once said “a birthday party without a cake is just a meeting.”
So when my neighbours birthday rolled around, I was keen as mustard to have her over for dinner, not just because I wanted to see her (because let’s face it, spending time with one’s peeps is the best gift of all,) but because I wanted to make cake. As Luce is Italian and she loves a cake with fruit, this Apricot and Amaretti cake seemed just the ticket. Packed with plump juicy apricots and baby amaretti biscuits, this lovely, light cake is delicious warm or cold, and is especially delightful served for dessert with custard or cream (candles are optional!) Whether you’re serving this for dessert or for tea, I promise you, you’re in for a treat.
The cake itself is a one bowl wonder, but just remember to reserve some of the cake mixture, apricots and biscuits because it’s cooked in two stages, which makes for a cakey base and a magically moist topping with value added crunch from those biscuits. Nom!
So tell me, in what ways if any are you a minimalist? Do you have any birthday traditions?
Ingredients
200g softened butter , plus extra for the tin
200g caster sugar
200g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond essence (optional)
410g can apricot halves in natural juice, drained, 100g roughly chopped, remainder halved
85g amaretti biscuits, broken
25g flaked almonds
How to – Traditional
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Butter the base and sides of a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin and line with baking paper.
- Chop 100g of the apricot halves and set aside. Halve the remaining apricots.
- Put the butter, sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Break in the eggs, add the almond essence, and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Set aside a quarter of the mixture.
- Stir in the chopped apricots and 25g of the biscuits into the main mixture. Spoon into the tin and lightly smooth with the back of the spoon. Bake for 25 minutes until the cake is almost set.
- Meanwhile, stir the halved apricot halves, remaining biscuits and flaked almonds into the reserved cake mixture until well mixed.
- Quickly dot the extra cake mixture onto the part-baked cake, then return to the oven for 20-25 minutes more (if it’s browning quickly, just cover it with foil) or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin. Dust with icing sugar and then serve.
How to – Thermomix
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Butter the base and sides of a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin and line with baking paper.
- Chop 100g of the apricot halves and set aside. Halve the remaining apricots.
- Put the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, almond essence and eggs in TM bowl. Mix for 10 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides and base of bowl and mix for another 5 seconds on speed 4, or until smooth and creamy.
- Set aside a quarter of the mixture.
- Add the chopped apricots and 25g of the biscuits into the main mixture in the TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on reverse speed 3.
- Using the spatula, transfer the mixture into the prepared tin and lightly smooth with the back of the spoon. Bake for 25 minutes until the cake is almost set.
- Meanwhile, add the halved apricot halves, remaining biscuits and flaked almonds into the reserved cake mixture and stir gently well mixed.
- Quickly dot the extra cake mixture onto the part-baked cake, then return to the oven for 20 minutes more or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin. Dust with icing sugar and then serve.
Other info
Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 50-55 minutes
