Baking Flourless Chocolate and Apricot Cake

I made this cake for my husband's birthday a few days ago and it was really delicious. He loved it, as did his friends at work, when he shared it with them the next day. The cake has a delicate flavor of apricots, with an added bite of cinnamon and the satisfying intensity of dark chocolate.

This cake was made without any flour or butter (I just used a little to butter the cake tin), so it is a good choice for someone watching the calories or someone on a wheat-free diet, like myself. If you prefer even a lighter version, you can make it without the chocolate frosting and it will still be delicious.

The ingredients for making 1x 20cm cake:

The cake
- 225g succulent dried apricots
- 1 x 7cm stick of cinnamon
- juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
- 6 medium eggs
- 200g ground almonds
- 25g sifted cocoa
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon sifted baking powder
- a little butter for the cake tin

The frosting
- 200g dark chocolate (50% or more cocoa solids)
- 200g soured cream

Place the apricots, cinnamon and lemon juice and zest in a small pan and add 200ml water. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 15-20 minutes, until the apricots are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove the cinnamon stick and purée the apricots with a blender. Transfer the purée to the bowl and leave to cool.

Butter the 20cm cake tin. Preheat the oven to 190C/ 170C with fan/ gas 5.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until pale and foamy, then fold in the ground almonds, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and the apricot purée.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, until deep golden brown on top. Insert a thin stick in the center of the cake, it should come out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Run a knife around the edge, leave the cake to cool, then ease out of the tin.

To make the frosting: Break the chocolate into pieces and melt gently in a small pan set over a bigger pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the soured cream.

Using the long wide knife, coat the cake with the icing. Set aside in a cool place to set for a few hours.

The cake should keep in an airtight container for several days.

Happy baking :)
Yolanta

Baking Flourless Chocolate and Apricot Cake