Apricot And Raisin Butter Cake

Total Time: 3 hrs 55 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 100 g raisins
• 100 g dried apricots, finely chopped
• 120 ml brandy or 120 ml apricot brandy
• 300 g cake flour, can use all purpose in a pinch (2 1/2 cup)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 15 g caster sugar (1 tb)
• 210 g unsalted butter, softened (1 cup minus 1 tb)
• 170 g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (or lemon)
• 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 150 g low-fat plain yogurt, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup cashews, chopped
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 30 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (2 tb)
• 2 tablespoons brandy or 2 tablespoons apricot brandy
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Recipe

• 1 soak raisins and chopped apricots in brandy for 2 hours (preferably overnight in the fridge) - see tips above
• 2 prepare crumb mixture by mixing all ingredients by hand/food processor until crumbly; set aside
• 3 sift flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside
• 4 whip egg whites with 1 tb sugar until they form stiff peaks (but not dry); set aside
• 5 cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy
• 6 add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition
• 7 next, add the soaked fruits with the brandy and stir gently
• 8 using low speed on your mixer, add the sifted flour mixture, alternating with the yogurt according to this sequence - flour-yogurt-flour-yogurt-flour, until well combined
• 9 now gently fold the whipped egg whites into the creamed mixture
• 10 pour half of the batter into greased and floured pan (bundt/square/round), followed by the crumb mixture, then finally all the remaining batter
• 11 bake in a preheated oven at 180°c / 350°f for 55 mins for bundt pan, 25-30 mins for square/round pan, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean
• 12 remove from oven, cool in the pan for 10-15mins, then cool completely on wire racks
• 13 for a very moist cake, sprinkle brandy syrup on warm cake (i poke some holes using toothpick all over the cake before sprinkling)
• 14 to make brandy syrup - combine 2 tb brandy, 2 tb hot water and 2 tsp sugar; stir to dissolve sugar
• 15 the cake is best made 1 day ahead