Why do fruity cakes feel more festive than say, a chocolate cake? I actually don’t like the regular Christmas Cake but I do like baking with fruit. So when I had a few apricots left over from my last batch of jam I found a lovely Apricot cake recipe from a very old recipe book that has been sitting on my shelf for many, many years.

I found it quite easy to make as it only took about 10 minutes to prep and then the baking takes 45-55 minutes depending on the heat of your oven. It’s always good to keep in mind that not all ovens are equal!

Here’s how to make this lovely festive cake to add to your table or simply for a sweet treat at tea time.

APRICOT CAKE

Ingredients

375ml (1½ cups) chopped Apricots - you can use dried Apricots too
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
200g butter
3 eggs
3ml (3/4 teaspoon) Baking Soda
500ml (2 cups) Cake Flour
10ml (2 teaspoons) Baking Powder
Icing sugar to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 180•C.

Chop the apricots and place in a bowl with boiling water. For fresh apricots use 3/4 cup water and for dried apricots use 1 cup. Set aside.

Pour the sugar and butter into a pot large enough for all the ingredients. Heat just until the butter has melted. Allow to cool.

Drain the apricots saving ½ cup of the liquid. Add the baking soda to the liquid.

Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot with the apricots and apricot liquid and mix well with a wooden spoon until combined.

Line a 20cm round baking tin or similar (I used a baking ring) with baking paper. I pre-spray my tins with non-stick baking spray and then add the baking paper.

Pour the mixture into the baking tin.

Bake the cake in thr middle of the oven for 45-55 minutes until the cake spring back when lightly pressed.

Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack. I was hasty and turned my cake out a bit early so it cracked. BUT IT TASTES INCREDIBLE!!!! Wow!!! I LOVE THIS RECIPE.

Sift icing sugar over the cake to decorate.

I may bake this cake in an oven proof serving dish in the future. And it would be brilliant served with ice cream and a toffee sauce or hot with custard. The cake is extreme soft and spongy and has just the right amount of apricot tang.

Let me know if you try it out!

Sending love from the Deep South…