Friday, June 01, 2007

Apricot "Sunny Side-Up" Cake


You've asked for it, and here at last is a simple and quick cake that does not require beating egg whites, carmelising sugar or any other difficult tasks. It has a fun appearance (my son thought it looked like eggs on toast) and makes use of tinned apricot filling and preserves for the glaze. With cream cheese in both the cake and frosting, it is a dense, rich cake that would work as well after dinner as it would for breakfast.

You Will Need:

(For the cake)
8 oz package of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter (also softened at room temperature)
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1-teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1-teaspoon baking powder
1-teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup milk
1 tin (12 oz.) of apricot filling (I use Solo )


(for the frosting/topping)

4 tablespoons softened butter
3 ounces softened cream cheese
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1-teaspoon vanilla

Apricot halves, drained

¼ cup apricot preserves, heated and strained through a fine sieve.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan. Cream the butter, cheese and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients together and add, alternating with the milk.

Spread half the batter into the pan. Top with the apricot filling. Carefully top with remaining batter. Bake for about 40 minutes (it will get dark but should not burn). Check for doneness with toothpick. While cake cools, prepare the frosting and glaze. Frost the cake whilst still slightly warm (helps it spread). Top with apricots and with a pastry brush, apply the apricot glaze. Keep chilled, but remove about ten minutes before serving.

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