Apricots make a delicious afternoon tea cake that is so delicious with a good dollop of double cream and a cup of tea or coffee.  Choose ripe soft apricots to use in this recipe or if out of season, you can use canned apricots too.

Apricot Cake

Ingredients:

• Apricots, fresh  and very ripe , halved and stone removed,  or canned
• 150 g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup of caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• the juice and zest of an orange
• 1 1/2 cups of self raising flour
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• flaked almonds
• Icing sugar

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180º C Fan Forced
2. Line a 20 x 28 cm baking pan with baking paper
3. Soften the butter by pouring boiling water into a small Pyrex jug, emptying it out and then inverting the warmed jug over the butter
4. Sift the flour twice
5. In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar and vanilla essence and orange zest until light
6. Add the eggs one at a time processing for 10 seconds, until combined
7. Add the sifted flour a little at a time alternating with the orange juice
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it to cover the pan
9. Place the apricot halves over the batter
10. Scatter some flaked almonds on the batter in between the apricots
11. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly and the top is well coloured
12. Allow to rest in the baking pan then remove to a cooling rack
13. Sprinkle with icing sugar to decorate and serve with a dollop of double cream or ice cream