Apricot Cream Cake Recipes

APRICOTS AND CREAM CHEESE CAKE

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.

APRICOT CAKE

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.

APRICOT CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Prepare, bake and cool cake as directed on package.
• Split each cake layer in half horizontally. (I used dental floss while my husband gently held the cake in place with a clean kitchen towel. It was very easy to do!) Reserve 1 tablespoon preserves. Place one split cake layer on serving plate. Spread one-third remaining preserves on top. Repeat with remaining layers and preserves, leaving top plain.
• Prepare pudding mix as directed on package using 3/4 cup milk. In a large bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipping cream into pudding. Spread on sides and top of cake. Garnish with coconut, apricot halves and mint leaves. Warm reserved preserves to glaze apricot halves. Refrigerate until ready to serve.