Sweet Potato and Apricot Cake
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Sweet Potato and Apricot Cake
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Adapted from Chocolate and the Art of Low-Fat Desserts by Alice Medrich In the United States, most of what are labeled yams are actually sweet potatoes, including the orange beauties that I bought, which I am sure are botanically sweet potatoes. Because there’s enough confusion in my life, my strategy is simply to go to the market and pick out the ones that have the most vivid orange-colored flesh, and use those. Another thing that confounds people, myself included, are recipes that call for “sticks” of butter as a term of measurement. Having baked professionally in restaurants, if we had measured butter in terms of “sticks,” we would have spent hours unwrapping sticks of butter all day long. Even though I know they are 4 ounces (about 115 grams), it’s hard to wrap my mind around them. However, when you’re embarking on a baking project and your scale seems to have gone missing, you appreciate those sticks of butter with their little marks that tell ...
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Ingredients
For the cakes:
- 2/3 cup (4 ounces, 115g) dried apricots preferably California, finely diced
- 1/2 cup (125ml) white vermouth
- 2 cups (8 oz, 225g) flour sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder preferably aluminium-free
- 6 tablespoons (75g) butter cubed, at room temperature, unsalted
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (90g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
- lemon zest of 1
- 1 egg at room temperature, 1 whole and 1 white
- 1 cup (240g) sweet potato puree
- 1 cup (125g) toasted nuts walnuts, pecans), coarsely chopped, almonds
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces (225g) cream cheese room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter cubed, at room temperature, unsalted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (105g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- To make the cakes, marinate apricots pieces in vermouth for at least 30 minutes. Drain, pressing the apricots gently to extract all the liquid. Reserve the liquid.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC.) Grease with non-stick spray or butter two 8-inch (20cm) loaf pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a flexible spatula or spoon, cream the butter with the granulated and brown sugars, and lemon zest, until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and the egg white and combine thoroughly. If using a stand mixer, stop the mixer and scrape down the side to make sure everything is incorporated. (The mixture may look curdled, which is fine.)
- Mix in half of the flour mixture, then the drained vermouth and sweet potato puree, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir in the nuts and apricots.
- Divide the batter into the prepared pans, smooth the tops, and bake about 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Once cool, make the cream cheese frosting by beating the cream cheese with the butter and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth and lump free. Run a knife around the outside of the cakes and slip them out of the molds. Divide the cream cheese frosting on top of the cakes, spreading it with a knife or spatula.
Notes
- Storage: Since the recipe makes two loaves, you can freeze a cake (without icing) if well-wrapped in plastic, for up to two months. If you only want to ice one cake, simply cut the cream cheese icing recipe in half. The cakes will keep for up to five days at room temperature but once iced, should be refrigerated if you plan to keep for more than one day.
- Note: While I love the cream cheese frosting, the cake is excellent without it, too.
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