Apricots and Almonds

It's still a few months until we get to indulge in summer produce so until then, canned fruit comes into its own.

This is another quick and easy cake to make and combines canned apricots halves with flaked almonds and a lightly caramelised topping. The cake batter is my tried and tested butter cake.



Apricot and Almond Cake

Topping:
50 grams softened butter
50 grams soft brown sugar

Cake:
200 grams plain flour
50 grams almond meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
225 grams caster sugar
125 grams melted butter, cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
80mls milk
16 apricot halves (approximate), drained
flaked almonds

Butter and flour a 20cm/8 inch cake tin (one with a removable base or a spring-form tin - it must be high-sided as the cake does rise) - line the base with baking paper.

Make the topping:
Place the sugar and butter into a bowl and mix together until well amalgamated.

Make the cake batter:
Sift the flour, almond meal, baking powder and caster sugar into a bowl. Lightly beat the eggs with the milk and pour into the dry ingredients, along with the cooled, melted butter - stir well until combined.

Pour this into the cake tin and roughly smooth out the top.

Arrange the apricots on top, cut side down.

Dot the top randomly with small pieces of topping - when you've used half of the topping, sprinkle over with flaked almonds and then continue with the topping.

Place in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven and cook for about 45-60 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. If you feel it's browning too quickly, cover with baking paper lined foil and lower the oven temperature slightly.

Let the cake stand for a few minutes before removing from the tin - let it cool on a wire rack.



Some of the apricots will be swamped by the batter and look like they are peeking through but I tend to like the rather random looking top.



Give the cake a light dusting with icing sugar before serving.