APRICOT & FRESH BASIL CAKE WITH APRICOT JAM CREAM CHEESE ICING IN COLLABORATION WITH KENWOOD
APRICOT & FRESH BASIL CAKE WITH APRICOT JAM CREAM CHEESE ICING IN COLLABORATION WITH KENWOOD
Recipe
This combination felt incredibly natural to me and I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. The subtle tartness of the apricots plays perfectly with the bright peppery notes of basil, and together with a hint of honey they produce an incredible balanced and exciting flavour surprise.
FOR THE CAKE
200g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
4 organic eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g plain flour
200g ground almonds
20g fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
6 ripe apricots (halved and stones removed)
FOR THE ICING
250g cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp good quality apricot jam
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan bake. Line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.
- Cut the apricots into segments.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, along with the vanilla.
- Gradually fold in the flour and ground almonds.
- By hand, fold through the chopped basil leaves.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin and dot in the apricot segments.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes. The cake is ready when it is golden in colour, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for around 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, make the icing. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the vanilla until perfectly smooth. Fold through the apricot jam leaving some ripples.
- Once the cake is fully cool, apply a generous layer of the icing and decorate with fresh basil leaves.
- To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days