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Glaze

Nutrition: per serving

  • kcal373
  • fat17.2g
  • saturates6.7g
  • carbs48.4g
  • sugars38.6g
  • fibre2.2g
  • protein6.3g
  • salt0.2g
    low

Method

  • step 1

    Put the almonds into a small bowl and pour over boiling water to just cover. Leave for 5 mins then drain in a sieve and leave to dry.

  • step 2

    Preheat the oven to 180C/160 C fan/Gas Mark 4. Line a deep loose-based 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.

  • step 3

    Put the butter in a large bowl and beat well until soft. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the orange zest and apricot jam.

  • step 4

    Sieve together the flour and baking powder. Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, a little at a time, beating well between each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, stir in a little flour.

  • step 5

    Add the remaining flour and ground almonds and mix well. Mix in the milk and then add the dried fruit and cherries and mix gently together.

  • step 6

    Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon. Arrange the whole almonds close together in neat circles on the top of the cake. Bake in the oven for 45 mins.

  • step 7

    Lower the oven temperature to 160C/140 C fan/Gas Mark 3 and cook for a further 60–80 minutes. Check the cake after 50 minutes by inserting a wooden or metal skewer into the cake. When it’s done it should have just a few crumbs attached. Check every 10 minutes - it’s important not to overcook this cake so the centre will be a little soft.

  • step 8

    When cooked, remove the cake briefly from the oven, put the milk and sugar into a small pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Brush over the top of the cake and return the cake to the oven for 2-3 mins. Remove and allow the cake to cool in the tin. When quite cold remove from the tin and wrap in foil and keep for at least 2 days before cutting.

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Comments, questions and tips (67)

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Overall rating

A star rating of 5 out of 5.2 ratings

valerie@thefordes.net

question

If I bake 2 cakes at same time, different shelves in fan oven, how should I adjust cooking time?

goodfoodteam avatar
goodfoodteam

Hello, cooking two in a fan oven shouldn't make too much difference to the cooking time (not as much as it would in a gas oven). Because we haven't tested two at once it's difficult to give exact timings. Once the cooking time is up check the cakes at 10-15 min intervals so that a skewer inserted in…

fr.macintyrewuhKSguW

I'd like to reiterate the comment about checking the cake after 40 minutes. I left mine until 50 mins but it is overcooked & drier than it should be. I appreciate it probably says more about my oven than the recipe. I'd also encourage people to read the reviews before starting out. There are…

Davison.heather@gmail.com

Just made this and had too much cake mixture for my tin which was the size given in the recipe. Maybe my tin wasn't as deep but never had a problem before

goodfoodteam avatar
goodfoodteam

Hi, thanks for your comment. This cake needs a deep-sided 20cm tin - ideally at least 7cm deep. We hope this helps. Best wishes, BBC Good Food Team.

Davison.heather@gmail.com

question

Sorry another question! Would this work if you soaked the fruit in brandy 🤔?

val.mcgregor@gmail.com

Yes

Davison.heather@gmail.com

question

Would this work if baked in a loaf tin?

goodfoodteam avatar
goodfoodteam

Hi, thanks for your question. Yes but you would need to make sure the loaf tin is large enough and will need to adapt baking times - cakes cooked in a loaf tin generally take quite a lot longer. We hope this helps. Best wishes, BBC Good Food Team.

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