Apricot And Raisin Butter Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the fruits, nuts, honey, water and lemon juice; set aside. , In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Fold into fruit mixture. Combine dry ingredients; gradually fold into the fruit mixture until evenly coated. Pour into two greased and waxed paper-lined 9x5-in. loaf pans. , With a shallow pan of water in the bottom of the oven, bake at 275° for 2-1/2 hours or until cake tests done. Cover with foil during the last 30 minutes. , Cool 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Remove waxed paper and wrap each cake in foil. Place in plastic bags and store in a cool, dry place.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a little of the butter to grease a 9-inch round baking pan with a removable bottom. Dust the pan with a little of the flour. Sift the remaining flour with the baking powder and salt and set aside.
• Cream the remaining butter with the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour mixture and the vanilla.
• Spread the batter in the baking pan. Arrange the apricot slices on the top. Put in the oven and bake about 25 minutes, until the top of the cake looks fairly firm and is just beginning to brown.
• Sprinkle with the granulated sugar, return to the oven and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cake is nicely browned. Remove from the oven, allow to cool 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan. Serve the cake while it is still warm, with creme fraiche, whipped cream or vanilla frozen yogurt on the side.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the topping: Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan or an 8-inch square baking pan. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread the brown sugary mix in an even layer on the bottom of the pan.
• Cut the apricots in half and remove the pits. Arrange the apricots, flesh-side down, evenly over the bottom of the pan.
• Prepare the cake batter: Add the flour to a medium bowl. Sift in the almond flour, then use your fingertips to break up any clumps that don't fit through the sieve. Add the baking powder and salt to the bowl and whisk to combine.
• In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attached, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium until combined and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, then the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the milk, mixing to combine. Continue alternating the additions of flour and milk and mixing, scraping down the sides of the bowl, just until all is combined. (Make sure not to overmix during this step.)
• Spread the batter in an even layer over the apricot halves. Bake until the cake is set and doesn't jiggle when shaken, is golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• Remove pan from the oven, and place on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. With the cake still in the pan, turn the pan over onto a serving platter. Wait 1 minute, then remove the pan. This cake is excellent warm, but it's also delicious at room temperature.

Steps:

• 1. HEAT OVEN TO 325 DEGREE'S IN A SAUCEPAN COMBINE 1/4 CUP OF SUGAR WITH THE CHOPPED APRICOTS AND GOLDEN RAISINS. BOIL REDUCE HEAT TO SIMMER FOR 20 MINUTES.WHILE SIMMERING WORK ON THE REST OF CAKE.
• 2. IN A LARGE BOWL BEAT THE CREAM CHEESE,BUTTER,AND VANILLA UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY. ADD 1 1/2 CUPS OF SUGAR AND CONTINUE TO BEAT UNTIL LIGHT. ADD EGGS 1 AT A TIME.BEAT IN WELL BEFORE EACH EGG IS PUT IN.
• 3. DRAIN THE APRICOTS AND RAISINS AND LET COOL.
• 4. SIFT IN THE FLOUR AND BAKING POWDER,AND REMAINING 1/4 CUP OF SUGAR.ADD GRADUALLY TO THE CREAM MIXTURE. COMBINE WELL.
• 5. FOLD IN THE COOLED APRICOTS,RAISINS,AND NUTS.PUT IN A GREASED AND FLOURED BUNDT PAN AND BAKE 60-70 MINUTES,OR UNTIL PICK COMES OUT CLEAN.COOL AT LEAST 20 MINUTES BEFORE REMOVING FROM PAN.TURN OUT TO A WIRE RACK TO FINISH COOLING.
• 6. Make Cream cheese icing. Combine all ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Let icing set.Cut,and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (8- or 9-inch) round pans with shortening. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper; grease again and lightly flour. In food processor bowl with metal blade, place canned apricots. Process 30 seconds or until smooth, scraping bowl after 15 seconds; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter and 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat on low speed until mixed. Measure 1/4 cup apricot puree; set aside. Add remaining apricot puree and apricot nectar to batter; beat on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Spread about 2 cups batter in each pan.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 40 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and reserved puree. Beat on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed until creamy. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups frosting into decorating bag fitted with medium star tip.
• Place one cake layer on cake plate, top side down. Spread about 3/4 cup frosting over top. With decorating bag, pipe a wavy ring of frosting around outside top edge of cake, extending slightly over edge. Top with second layer, top side down. Repeat frosting and piping. Top with third layer, top side up. Frost top with remaining frosting; pipe edge. (Side of cake is not frosted.)
• For garnish, separate 2 dried apricots into 4 halves. With rolling pin, roll each apricot half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to 1 1/2-inch diameter. Set aside. Roll remaining 3 apricots between plastic wrap to about 2-inch diameters. To form rose, roll one of the apricot halves into a tight roll (center of rose). Place remaining 3 apricot halves around roll to form petals, pinching at bottom to secure. Place larger apricot circles around smaller ones, pinching together at bottom to complete rose. Sprinkle lightly with 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Place in center of cake. Place lemon leaves next to rose. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter a 23cm-deep cake tin (preferably not loose-based, see tip below) and line the base with silicone or baking parchment. Mix the topping ingredients and spread over the base of the tin.
• Mix the milk and vanilla together. Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl and whisk with a tabletop or hand electric mixer until the mixture is thick, pale and increased in volume, about 5 mins. Test it is ready by lifting the whisk blades - if the mixture briefly leaves a trail, you are ready to proceed.
• Add one-third of the flour and whisk slowly to incorporate, then one-third of the milk and mix again. Repeat twice more until all the flour and milk is added. Slowly whisk in the melted butter.
• Halve and stone the apricots. Place, cut-side down, in the base of the tin. Pour the cake batter over the top and slide into the oven. Bake for 1-1¼ hrs until the cake is firm to the touch and springs back when lightly pressed.
• Cool the cake in the tin for 20 mins, then carefully remove from the tin, peel off the lining paper and serve warm or cold.