Apricot Bundt Cake (Week 38)

As mentioned in the earlier blog (the Pumpkin Crunch Cake), we EAT in our Cohort.  God bless Nancy (our expert baker and resident party-planner extraordinaire), we have terrific birthday cakes and other goodies.  Adriana and I have one of her delightful carrot cakes "on order" for our birthday treat.  This week I am sharing Nancy's creation from last week's class.  Hat's off to Nancy (also a blogger who can be found at maturewomanonthemove.blogspot.com) for a FAB-U-lous treat!!

APRICOT BUNDT CAKE

• 1 Pkg yellow cake mix
• 1 cup apricot nectar or water
• ¼ cup butter or margarine softened
• 3 eggs

FILLING:

• 2-8 oz pks cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup flaked coconut

GLAZE:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
• 1 to 2 teaspoons apricot nectar or milk

Preheat over to 350 (325 for colored fluted tube pan). Using solid shortening or margarine (not oil) grease and flour 12 cup fluted tube pan (non-stick finish pan too)

In large bowl, blend first 4 ingredients: beat 2 minutes at highest speed.  Pour into prepared pan.  In same bowl, blend all filling ingredients; beat until smooth.  Spoon filling over batter in pan without touching sides of pan.  Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool upright in pan 45 minutes; turn onto serving plate.  Cool completely.  In small bowl, combine glaze ingredients; mix until smooth.  Spoon over cake.  Refrigerate.

Golden Nectarine Cake (Week 30)

The girls are coming over for a little happy hour gig at my place tomorrow and, while happy hour food is typically appetizers, I KNOW we MUST have at least one or two sweets on the counter top.

With my crop of peaches, pluots (aka Plumcots), plums and nectarines, I need to clear some space in my fridge so I whipped up a batch of pluot salsa (using green flavor grenade pluots from Mizuno Farms- see Nectarine Mint Salsa from Week 21).   E-Gads...I still have tons of fruit so I have a nectarine cake for dessert.  Thank you Epicurious for the inspiration as well as the sliced photo (I wasn't about to cut in to this with company coming).  Delicious!

 Nectarine Golden Cake

• 1 c. flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• rounded 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 c. plus 1/2 Tbsp sugar, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 2 juicy but firm nectarines, pitted and cut in to 1/2 inch thick wedges (you can use peaches as well)
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

9 inch spring form pan

Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the middle.  Lightly butter the pan.
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat butter and 3/4 c. sugar with the electric mixer until pale and fluffy.  add eggs one at a time beating well after each.  Beat in the extracts.  at a low speed add the flour until combined.

Spread batter evenly in the pan then scatter the nectarines over the top.  stir together the nutmeg and the remaining sugar and sprinkle over the top.  Bake the cake until it is golden brown and the top is firm but tender (about 45 minutes).  Cake will rise over the fruit.  Cool in pan for about 10 minutes.  remove sides and cool till warm.  Serve with whipped cream.  It's excellent just by itself .