Pound Cake With Grand Marnierpoached Apricots Recipes

POUND CAKE WITH GRAND MARNIER-POACHED APRICOTS

Steps:

• For cake:
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°F. Butter and flour pan. Whisk salt, cream of tartar, cardamom, and 3 cups flour in a medium bowl.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat 2 cups butter until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until very light and creamy, 6-8 minutes longer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in cream and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until mostly combined. Finish mixing with a rubber spatula just until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
• Bake cake, rotating halfway through, until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 70-80 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cake cool completely before turning out.
• DO AHEAD: Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
• For apricots and assembly:
• Bring Grand Marnier, granulated sugar, and 2/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add apricots and ginger, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until apricots are very soft, 20-25 minutes. Let cool.
• Remove ginger just before serving. Serve cake with apricots and syrup and whipped cream.
• DO AHEAD: Apricots can be poached 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.