Ingredients
| 200g dried apricots, roughly chopped | |
| juice of ½ lemon | |
| 125ml boiling water | |
| 125g unsalted butter, softened | |
| 165g golden caster sugar | |
| 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste | |
| 3 eggs | |
| 150g almond meal (ground almonds) | |
| 75g self-raising flour | |
| ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom | |
| pinch of salt | |
| 100g good-quality dark (or milk) chocolate, roughly chopped | |
| 1 tablespoon demerara sugar |
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Instructions
| 1. | Place the apricots, lemon juice and boiling water in a small saucepan. |
| 2. | Simmer gently, with a lid on, over very low heat for 10 minutes. |
| 3. | Remove from the heat and allow to cool. |
| 4. | Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced. |
| 5. | Grease a 22cm round springform tin with butter and line the base and side with baking paper. |
| 6. | In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, caster sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. |
| 7. | Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. |
| 8. | Place the almond meal, flour, cardamom and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. |
| 9. | Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, stirring gently to combine. |
| 10. | Add the chocolate and cooled apricots and fold them through. |
| 11. | Spoon the batter into the lined tin, smoothing the top with a spatula. |
| 12. | Sprinkle over the demerara sugar and cook for 45–50 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. |
| 13. | Allow to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool further. |
| 14. | Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. |
| 15. | Any leftover cake will store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. |
Images and text
from The Plain Cake
Appreciation Society
by Tilly Pamment,
photography by Tilly
Pamment. Murdoch
Books, RRP $45.