Apricot Cream Cheese Bundt Cake Food

APRICOTS AND CREAM CHEESE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (8- or 9-inch) round pans with shortening. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper; grease again and lightly flour. In food processor bowl with metal blade, place canned apricots. Process 30 seconds or until smooth, scraping bowl after 15 seconds; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter and 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat on low speed until mixed. Measure 1/4 cup apricot puree; set aside. Add remaining apricot puree and apricot nectar to batter; beat on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Spread about 2 cups batter in each pan.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 40 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and reserved puree. Beat on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed until creamy. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups frosting into decorating bag fitted with medium star tip.
• Place one cake layer on cake plate, top side down. Spread about 3/4 cup frosting over top. With decorating bag, pipe a wavy ring of frosting around outside top edge of cake, extending slightly over edge. Top with second layer, top side down. Repeat frosting and piping. Top with third layer, top side up. Frost top with remaining frosting; pipe edge. (Side of cake is not frosted.)
• For garnish, separate 2 dried apricots into 4 halves. With rolling pin, roll each apricot half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to 1 1/2-inch diameter. Set aside. Roll remaining 3 apricots between plastic wrap to about 2-inch diameters. To form rose, roll one of the apricot halves into a tight roll (center of rose). Place remaining 3 apricot halves around roll to form petals, pinching at bottom to secure. Place larger apricot circles around smaller ones, pinching together at bottom to complete rose. Sprinkle lightly with 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Place in center of cake. Place lemon leaves next to rose. Store in refrigerator.

APRICOT-CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine flour and baking powder. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add granulated sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add dry pudding mix and water; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended.
• Pour 2/3 of the batter into greased and floured 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan. Use back of spoon to make "trench" in center of batter; spoon preserves into trench. Cover with remaining batter. Gently spread batter to completely cover preserves, being careful to not allow preserves to not touch sides of pan.
• Bake 1 hour 15 min. to 1 hour 25 min. or until toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 15 min. Loosen cake from sides of pan with knife. Invert onto wire rack; gently remove pan. Cool cake completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

APRICOT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a parchment round.
• Make the crust: Stir together graham-cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the filling: Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Wrap the exterior of the springform pan with a double layer of foil. Set a kettle of water to boil. With an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce to low speed; add sugar in a slow, steady stream. Add the salt and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each until just combined (do not over-mix). Pour the cream cheese filling over crust.
• Set springform pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, about 75 minutes.
• Transfer springform pan to a wire rack and remove foil; let cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 24 hours. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen before unmolding.
• Make the topping: Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let soften for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the apricot preserves over medium-low until warm, about 2 minutes. Add softened gelatin and stir to combine. Let cool slightly and then strain over cheesecake. Spread into an even layer and chill to set, about 2 hours.

APRICOT NECTAR POUND CAKE

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.

APRICOT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Combine almond flour, brown sugar, and almonds in a bowl. Add melted butter; stir with a fork until the mixture resembles wet sand. Spread on the bottom of the parchment-lined pan.
• Combine apricots and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil and simmer until very soft, about 10 minutes. Drain; mash apricots into a pulp. Add amaretto; mix well. Sweeten with 1 teaspoon white sugar.
• Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, cornstarch, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract in a bowl using an electric mixer on low speed. Add eggs one at a time; mix well. Fold in 2 tablespoons of apricot pulp; reserve remainder for topping. Pour cheesecake batter into the pan, covering the crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are puffed and surface of cheesecake is firm except for a small spot in the center that will jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 3 tablespoons white sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract together until combined. Remove cheesecake from the hot oven; spoon topping over the surface and return cake to the oven for 8 minutes more.
• Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours. Top with remaining apricot pulp.

APRICOT-PECAN CREAM CHEESE CAKE

Steps:

• Combine apricots, juice and 1/4 c sugar in saucepan. Heat to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until apricots have softened.
• Drain apricots well and reserve liquid.
• Mix together flour, baking powder, and pecans.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar.
• Stir in apricots.
• Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
• Fold in flour mixture, 1/3 at a time.
• Pour batter into greased and floured Bundt pan.
• Bake at 325 for 65-70 minutes, or until tests done.
• Remove from oven and slowly pour reserved liquid over hot cake.
• Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack.
• Make glaze by mixing juice and powdered sugar to desired consistency. Slowly pour over warm cake.
• Let cake cool completely, then wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight.

APRICOT CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Prepare, bake and cool cake as directed on package.
• Split each cake layer in half horizontally. (I used dental floss while my husband gently held the cake in place with a clean kitchen towel. It was very easy to do!) Reserve 1 tablespoon preserves. Place one split cake layer on serving plate. Spread one-third remaining preserves on top. Repeat with remaining layers and preserves, leaving top plain.
• Prepare pudding mix as directed on package using 3/4 cup milk. In a large bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipping cream into pudding. Spread on sides and top of cake. Garnish with coconut, apricot halves and mint leaves. Warm reserved preserves to glaze apricot halves. Refrigerate until ready to serve.