Walnut Apricot Pound Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Place apricots in a bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Let steep 10 to 15 minutes. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain apricots. Measure out 1/2 cup of the soaking water and set aside (discard the rest). Cut apricots into 1/4-inch pieces.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a Bundt pan and lightly dust with flour. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. In another large bowl beat together eggs, buttermilk, soaking water from the apricots, melted butter, honey, vanilla and optional orange flower water.
• If using a stand mixer, fit with the paddle and beat at low speed for about 30 seconds, then add liquids and beat for about 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Stop machine, scrape bottom of bowl with a spatula to bring up any unmixed flour, and beat for another minute on low speed. If using a bowl and whisk, whisk together dry ingredients, then whisk in wet ingredients until smooth. The mixture should be thick and, in the perfect words of Peter Reinhart, "soupy." Stir in apricots and walnuts.
• Scrape batter into prepared Bundt pan and place in oven. Set timer for 45 minutes. Rotate pan 180 degrees and bake for another 25 to 35 minutes, until cake is nicely browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Remove from oven and allow to rest in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and allow to cool completely.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan with baking spray with flour. Wrap foil around bottom of pan to prevent leaking.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, 1 1/4 cups butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with milk and 1/2 cup apricot nectar.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons of the apricots for topping along with 1/4 cup of the walnuts. Stir remaining apricots and walnuts into batter. Spread in pan.
• Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Remove cake from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Using whisk, mix in 4 to 6 teaspoons apricot nectar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and consistency of thick syrup. Drizzle glaze over top of cake; spread with spatula or back of spoon, letting some glaze drizzle down side. Sprinkle reserved apricots and walnuts on top of cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan and set aside.
• Cream together the butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
• Gradually add to the butter mixture, alternating each addition with the milk.
• Mix until just blended.
• Stir in the vanilla and walnuts.
• Pour into the pan and bake for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool thoroughly on a wire rack.
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, shortening and granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and vanilla. Beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in ground walnuts. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter. Add confectioners' sugar; mix well. Beat in vanilla until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with walnuts. Refrigerate.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 or 10 inch Bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, 1/2 cup of sugar, oil, 3/4 cup of apricot nectar and brandy using an electric mixer on low speed. Mix for 3 minutes on high speed. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the crown of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan, then invert onto a serving plate.
• To make the icing, combine 3 tablespoons of apricot nectar, 3 tablespoons of sugar and butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Let cool one minute, then pour over the cake.