Central Otago apricots are like no other and their flavour offers a special twist to whatever you add them to, Allison Lambert writes.
This cake is packed with apricot flavour and is moist and light.
Apricot cake
Ingredients
125g butter, softened
¼ cup coconut sugar (can substitute with refined sugar)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp natural unsweetened yoghurt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups white flour
1 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp ground cardamom(optional)
Apricot puree
300g apricots
¼ cup water
4 apricots, cut in half, stones removed (for topping)
Method
Begin by making the apricot puree.
Remove stones from the apricots, roughly cut into chunks and place in a small saucepan along with the quarter-cup water. Cook over moderate heat until the apricots are soft and pulpy. Remove from the heat and pulp with a potato masher. Set aside.
To make the cake
Preheat oven to 170degC.
Cream butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating really well after each addition. Add the pulped apricots and mix through. Stir baking soda into the yoghurt and add to creamed mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder and cardamom together. Fold gently through the dry ingredients until combined.
Pour into a greased and lined 20cm round cake tin. Place the cut apricots decoratively over the top of the cake.
Bake for 40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched, and a skewer comes out clean. Leave in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
• Alison Lambert is one of the demonstrators at the Otago Farmers Market in Dunedin on Saturday mornings.
