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Apricot cake with lemon agrumato - Torta di albicocche con agrumato limone

30/1/2015

44 Comments

 
Torta di albicocche con agrumato limone
The cool change of late has seen me spending more time in my kitchen and, to Peter's delight, I've been baking almost every day. As I whisk and stir, I'm reminded often of my mother, and in my heart I sense that I'm morphing into her likeness. Sure enough, when I catch a glimpse of my own reflection in the glass on the oven door, I see a contented old duck in bare feet and a comfortable house dress, tea towel in hand... just like my lovely mum. The only things missing are an apron and bandana. Oh, and a vast ocean view through the kitchen window.

Speaking of birds with short legs, sometimes all your ducks line up in a row, if you understand my meaning. In this particular case, I recently watched Silvia Colloca prepare this apricot and olive oil cake on her SBS television show not long after I was gifted a bottle of lemon agrumato from folks at The Essential Ingredient in Canberra. Meanwhile, the potted lemons on my verandah are ripening, AND the apricots at my local Aldi supermarket are inexpensive and quite superb. 

1+1+1+1 = Good Things, yes?! I was destined to bake that cake! 

In my adaptation of Silvia's recipe, I use less sugar (I tend to do that with much of my baking these days). I also left out the liqueur and substituted the full bodied lemon agrumato for the extra virgin olive oil. With whole crushed lemons, the Essential Ingredient agrumato is truly exquisite and I knew it would be a good addition.

The first time I baked this cake, the apricots (which had simply been cut in half, per the instructions in the original recipe) sank right to the bottom. Of course, I should have realised. Nonetheless, it was a delicious torta. On the second baking, I cut the apricots into quarters and dusted them lightly with flour before popping them onto the top of the cake batter. What can I tell you. Torta con albicocca e agrumato limone Mk II was absolutely perfect! 

APRICOT CAKE WITH LEMON AGRUMATO
(Torta con albicocca e agrumato limone)
2/3 cup vanilla infused caster sugar
230 mls low fat milk
100 mls lemon agrumato*
2 free range eggs, lightly whisked
200g self raising flour plus a little extra for dusting the fruit
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
400g apricots, cut into quarters (6-7 apricots)
1/2 cup flaked almonds, to finish
icing sugar, for dusting 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease a 20cm square cake tin and line it with baking paper.

Combine the caster sugar and milk in a medium sized saucepan and warm it, stirring gently, over a low heat for a few minutes, taking care that it doesn't boil. Remove the saucepan from the stovetop, add the lemon agrumato (or zest and EVOO), and allow the mixture to cool for around ten minutes.

Add the beaten eggs, flour and bicarb to the milk and agrumato in the saucepan. Whisk this mixture until you have a creamy batter, free from lumps. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula.

Lightly dust the apricot quarters with some flour. This will ensure they don't sink to the bottom of the cake. Working quickly, arrange the apricot pieces evenly over the cake batter. Then sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the cake is golden brown and a skewer tests clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool briefly in the tin, before placing onto a wire rack. Leave the cake to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Serves 8-10.

* Or use 100 mls extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and the finely chopped zest of one lemon instead of the Agrumato.


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Apricots in a row by Good Things
Lemon agrumato by The Essential Ingredient
Torta di albicocche con agrumato limone ready for the oven
Into the oven goes this Torta di albicocche con agrumato limone
Torta di albicocche con agrumato limone
Beautiful texture on my Torta di albicocche con agrumato limone
Tell me dear fellow cooks and readers, do you love it when your ducks line up in a row? What has been your most recent experience with this? And do you ever get the feeling that you are turning into your mother? Thank you for taking a moment to pop in and leave a comment. I truly appreciate it. xox

44 Comments
Krista link
28/1/2015 06:34:22 pm

I'm smiling at the picture you created of a contented old duck in barefeet and housedress. :-) That is me too. Very much so. :-) This cake looks so delicious. Just the thing to perk up an afternoon. :-)

Reply
Lizzy
28/1/2015 07:24:17 pm

Aw Krista, you are so sweet... but I think I am an older duck than you xox

Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
28/1/2015 07:26:37 pm

What a beautiful cake! Silvia is such a natural on camera and I saw a bit of this episode. It looked so wonderful :)

Reply
Lizzy
28/1/2015 07:57:04 pm

It is indeed, Lorraine, thank you. And Silvia is wonderful too : )

Reply
Mandy link
28/1/2015 11:20:55 pm

Lizzy, I am willing to run an extra kilometre just to enjoy 2 pieces of this wonderful cake.
Have a beautiful day.
:-) Mandy xo

Reply
Lizzy
29/1/2015 08:20:37 am

Ooooh, Mandy, is that how far I'd have to run to work it off? Sigh! Well worth it. Have a lovely weekend xo

Reply
Adri link
29/1/2015 01:40:04 am

What a lovely cake, and I adore lemon agruamto. Some of the finest -agrumati come from Abruzzo, the green heart of Italy. If you ever have a chance to try some from there, you are in for a real treat. I'll have to try this cake. It sounds divine, and your photographs are superb. I hope all is well with you. I have been quite absent from the food scene of late. A propos getting one's ducks in a row, we are utterly consumed with this house building project. So consumed, in fact, that we are consuming TAKE-OUT and FROZEN FOOD! Those darn ducks refuse to stay in their row! Sacre bleu!

Reply
Lizzy
29/1/2015 08:22:02 am

Hi Adri, I think I used to sell agrumato from Abruzzo in a former lifetime when I co owned the cookware store and cooking school. It was lovely. Are those ones made with oils or real fruit? I had been wondering what had happened to you, my friend... but good to know that all is well... even if you are eating takeaways. Take care and best of luck with the house... how exciting!!! xo

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Gerlinde link
29/1/2015 04:28:28 am

Cakes like your apricot cake are some of my favorites. I wonder if I could use some of my frozen apricots. California doesn't have apricots at this time of the year.

Reply
Lizzy
29/1/2015 08:22:22 am

Hi there Gerlinde... I think you most certainly could... or dried ones too!

Reply
Nagi@RecipeTinEats link
29/1/2015 06:16:57 am

I often reduce sugar in my baking too! I find most recipes way to sweet. My taste is more towards Asian baked goods. Try a Japanese vanilla sponge, I think you'll like it! Love this recipe, PINNING! :)

Reply
Lizzy
29/1/2015 08:22:53 am

Hi Nagi... I think I would enjoy your Japanese vanilla sponge... is there a recipe on your site? xo

Reply
e / dig in hobart link
29/1/2015 08:30:58 am

mum and I watched this episode of silvia's together and were intrigued by the hot milk. neither of us have made a hot-milk cake before! thank you for the recipe - we have apricots growing at the moment, not as pretty-perfect as yours, but very tasty. and thank you for the substitute for the agrumato (what a pretty label). enjoy your weekend and your baking :-)

Reply
Lizzy
29/1/2015 08:36:13 am

Thanks Elizabeth... my mother did a lot of baking with warm milk... you can't beat home grown apricots, thought the Aldi ones are rather lovely... and the agrumato is exceptionally good in this cake! Happy baking too xo

Reply
Amanda link
29/1/2015 08:46:32 am

Mmm, this sounds lovely. We've had unseasonably cool weather here in Adelaide too, and I'm sure there are still some apricots about so it's now on my baking list. Thanks Liz!

Reply
Lizzy
29/1/2015 08:47:56 am

Amanda, funnily enough I was just about to tweet about the cold weather... I'm sitting here freezing! I think I need to turn on the oven and bake. This one is a beauty!

Reply
Maureen link
29/1/2015 10:03:24 am

I'm a bird with short legs and I'm determined to get my ducks in a row so I can have this cake. It sounds like something we'd both love.

Reply
Lizzy
29/1/2015 10:10:52 am

Ha birthday gal! I think you would indeed like this one! And there's great macadamia oil available up your way I'm sure xo

Reply
Eha
29/1/2015 11:04:32 am

Am also a Silvia Collocca aficionado and saw the episode: wasn't one of her sons 'in on the act'? Tho' I do not eat cake must say yours looks even nicer than hers did . . . . I have a vague recollection she explained how she got the apricots not to sink . . .?

Reply
Lizzy
29/1/2015 11:08:13 am

Hi Eha, my friend... I must admit, I did not see the entire episode, so I cannot recall. But dusting fruit with flour or rice crumbs is a good way : )

Reply
Eha
29/1/2015 11:44:31 am

Liz: I belong to 'The Exchange' panel of SBS: leaving your site I found there a long survey on Silvia's show and whether the series should be repeated. In the appropriate place I did tell them about your blog and today's inclusion of Silvia's cake. Just so you know :) !!

John link
29/1/2015 12:28:38 pm

Speaking of ducks lined up in a row, yesterday I took some pictures of ducks lined up in a row! I'll have to figure out some way to fit it into a post. :-) Anyway, I know I've told you before that I'm a lemon freak. So of course I need to search out lemon agrumato! Good stuff -- thanks.

Reply
Lizzy
30/1/2015 06:49:07 am

Oh, what a coincidence, John! Yes, do find some agrumato, you are going to love it!

Reply
Tandy | Lavender and Lime link
29/1/2015 05:34:47 pm

I usually do the flour 'trick' when I make blueberry muffins so that you get a blueberry with each bite. I have been turning into my mother in some senses since I was born. Great cake, and I love that you can bake every day and enjoy it :)

Reply
Lizzy
30/1/2015 06:49:29 am

Thank you Tandy... it's not a bad thing turning into one's mother, is it?

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Karen (Back Road Journal) link
30/1/2015 02:08:43 am

What a delicious combination of flavors…my kind of cake.

Reply
Lizzy
30/1/2015 06:49:47 am

Hi Karen, thank you so much! Hope you are managing with the snow!

Reply
Gourmet Getaways link
30/1/2015 03:13:32 am

Wow, look at that Lizzy! Baked or not yet baked, this cake is bound to look, smell and taste good! Love the photos, too!

Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx

Reply
Lizzy
30/1/2015 06:49:59 am

Thanks ever so much, team GG!

Reply
Elizabeth link
30/1/2015 10:02:06 am

This looks delicious :) I love the essential ingredient and miss my Saturday ritual now that I live on the Gold Coast...! Thanks for sharing! xx

Reply
Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:57:30 pm

My pleasure, Elizabeth xo

Reply
Hotly Spiced link
30/1/2015 01:59:29 pm

Sometimes I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and see my mother staring back at me. I do wonder when I became that old! I do love the look of your cake and it has reminded me to make the most of apricot season before they disappear for another year xx

Reply
Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:57:58 pm

Piffle Charlie, you are not old at all! Thanks for your kind words xo

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David link
31/1/2015 03:46:40 am

This looks delicious, Liz - cant wait for apricot season to try it! Since I don't have the agrumato, I looked to the original recipe and was surprised at the liqueur choices. I would much rather a Grand Marnier or even limoncello!

Reply
Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:58:28 pm

True, David... I was happy to leave out the alcohol on this one!

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Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
31/1/2015 04:34:54 pm

I can practically taste this cake, I think a slice would make an especially nice breakfast! :)

Reply
Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:58:54 pm

Ahem, I did eat it for breakfast, and it was really nice! : )

Reply
Ciao Chow Linda link
1/2/2015 09:46:09 am

What a wonderful looking cake. But alas, I don't know where to find that lemon agrumato here in the states. Maybe just substituting lemon peel would work?

Reply
Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:59:17 pm

It would do so nicely Linda xo

Reply
kellie@foodtoglow link
3/2/2015 11:08:51 pm

I love the look and sound of this homely comforting cake, with the added zing of proper agrumato. Proper lush, as we say over here :-)

Reply
Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:59:39 pm

Absolutely Kellie : )

Reply
Amanda @ Gourmanda link
10/2/2015 10:31:05 pm

I do hope that I take on more of my mother's traits when I get older. I lost her just two years ago, and it does still hurt...I hope that I can feel closer to her by taking on more of her traits.

Reply
Lizzy
14/2/2015 03:00:19 pm

Oh Amanda, I am so sorry to hear that... I bet you miss her very much! Big hugs to you xox

Reply
Beck link
14/2/2015 07:17:58 pm

I bookmarked this recipe too Liz, it does look very appealing... I’ll just have to check out the Aldi apricots :)

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