Walnut Apricot Pound Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Place apricots in a bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Let steep 10 to 15 minutes. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain apricots. Measure out 1/2 cup of the soaking water and set aside (discard the rest). Cut apricots into 1/4-inch pieces.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a Bundt pan and lightly dust with flour. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. In another large bowl beat together eggs, buttermilk, soaking water from the apricots, melted butter, honey, vanilla and optional orange flower water.
• If using a stand mixer, fit with the paddle and beat at low speed for about 30 seconds, then add liquids and beat for about 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Stop machine, scrape bottom of bowl with a spatula to bring up any unmixed flour, and beat for another minute on low speed. If using a bowl and whisk, whisk together dry ingredients, then whisk in wet ingredients until smooth. The mixture should be thick and, in the perfect words of Peter Reinhart, "soupy." Stir in apricots and walnuts.
• Scrape batter into prepared Bundt pan and place in oven. Set timer for 45 minutes. Rotate pan 180 degrees and bake for another 25 to 35 minutes, until cake is nicely browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Remove from oven and allow to rest in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and allow to cool completely.

Steps:

• 1. Using the tube pan, flip it upside down and cut a piece of wax paper using bottom of pan as your template. Remember, outside of pan is larger than the inside so it is ok if it is a hair smaller than pan bottom. Also, cut out tube hole.
• 2. Lay the wax paper in the bottom of the tube pan and grease inside of pan, wax piece and tube. Then put some flour in and make sure you flour all the way around. I usually tap my measuring cup against the tube to knock flour onto the tube all the way around as I am putting flour in the pan. Hold over counter or a bag or the trash can, holding on tightly to it and knock out excess flour.
• 3. Measure out flour into small mixing bowl and add salt and baking powder and blend well, then set aside for a moment. Open can of Apricot halves and pour some juice in small bowl and set aside. Drain remaining juice from can. Take 4 halves of Apricot and place in a small electric chopper or a blender and puree them. Strain out any tiny seed piece, place in a bowl and set aside.
• 4. Separate eggs, beat yolks together. Save whites (you will whip them into fluffy whites at end and fold them in), set aside.
• 5. In mixing bowl add sugar, crisco and milk and blend well (Do not over mix). Add in flour mixture next, a little at the time allowing it to blend well. Add in 1 tsp of the Apricot juice you saved, and you can dispose of remainder. Add in Apricot Extract and pureed Apricots and mix well. Now add in egg yolks and mix well.
• 6. Once batter is finished, beat egg whites until fluffy and gently fold into batter. Pour batter into pan, turning and pouring batter evenly throughout the pan. Do not drop, beat or shake to even out the batter. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the batter fairly even, doesn't have to be perfect.
• 7. Place cake in cold oven and bake at 275° for 1 1/2 hours, then increase heat to 325° for another 30 minutes to 1 hour. Test doneness with a butter knife after the 30 minute mark at 325°. (Mine was done after 20 minutes on 325°) (Each oven and climate is different)
• 8. Once the cake is done place on a pice of card board wrapped in wax paper. Then wrap in a T pattern with 2 pieces of Aluminum foil. This will help it to remain moist until ready to serve.
• 9. If you would like to make a glaze for this Pound Cake here are a couple of ideas. 1. Basic Vanilla Glaze: 1/4 cup melted butter 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted, no lumps) 2 - 4 TBSP milk 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract Mix powdered sugar and butter, add in extract, then add in milk, but only use one TBSP at a time until you get the right consistancy. You may not need all 4 tbsps. Drizzle over cake if desired or set aside for guest choice. OR 2. Lemon Glaze: 1/4 cup melted butter 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted Add lemon juice to taste (You don't want the lemon flavor to be overpowering on your cake) Add a little water if needed to get proper consistency. (No Vanilla or milk) Drizzle over cake or set aside as above.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan with baking spray with flour. Wrap foil around bottom of pan to prevent leaking.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, 1 1/4 cups butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with milk and 1/2 cup apricot nectar.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons of the apricots for topping along with 1/4 cup of the walnuts. Stir remaining apricots and walnuts into batter. Spread in pan.
• Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Remove cake from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Using whisk, mix in 4 to 6 teaspoons apricot nectar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and consistency of thick syrup. Drizzle glaze over top of cake; spread with spatula or back of spoon, letting some glaze drizzle down side. Sprinkle reserved apricots and walnuts on top of cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan and set aside.
• Cream together the butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
• Gradually add to the butter mixture, alternating each addition with the milk.
• Mix until just blended.
• Stir in the vanilla and walnuts.
• Pour into the pan and bake for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool thoroughly on a wire rack.
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Steps:

• In a mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream. Mix just until blended after each addition. Place 1/3 of the batter in a greased and floured bundt pan. Spread the apricot jam over the top of the batter. Add another 1/3 batter over the jam, then spread the rest of the jam. Finish with the last of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the pan and cool completely. I made a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk to drizzle over the top.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and sides of 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan with shortening; lightly flour.
• In large bowl, beat all ingredients except powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
• Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 or 10 inch Bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, 1/2 cup of sugar, oil, 3/4 cup of apricot nectar and brandy using an electric mixer on low speed. Mix for 3 minutes on high speed. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the crown of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan, then invert onto a serving plate.
• To make the icing, combine 3 tablespoons of apricot nectar, 3 tablespoons of sugar and butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Let cool one minute, then pour over the cake.