Marzipan Apricot Gugelhupf with Pistachios

You would have to have a cold heart of stone fruit not to love this combination of flavors. I admit to fondly gazing at fresh apricots whenever I see them in the market. I can’t resist their sweet and tart flavor.

The best ones I’ve ever eaten were bought off a street vendor in Istanbul. I was starving after running all over the city. Soft and fragrant in my hands, when I close my eyes, I can still summon their deep flavor.

The apricot print kitchen towel in the pictures was purchased in Dürnstein, the apricot capital of Austria. A fairytale city perched on the banks of the Danube River where I sampled all types of apricot products including brandy, liquor and roasted, salted and chocolate covered apricot kernels.

This bundt cake has a layer of fresh sugared apricots sandwiched between a light moist cake is studded with pieces of raw marzipan.

The cake is topped with a simple powdered sugared orange juice glazed and sprinkled with raw chopped pistachios. I added a bit of orange food coloring to the glaze to tint it. That step is optional.

Surprisingly, for all that jazz, this cake is not too sweet.

Prep time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1+1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 fresh apricots
• 4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup white granulated sugar, divided
• 2 large eggs
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick)  unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 4 oz raw marzipan, chopped into small pieces (see recipe below for homemade)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons orange juice
• A few drops of orange food coloring (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped raw pistachios

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour a 9″ bundt pan.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Set aside.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil and blanch the apricots (boil apricots for 2 minutes then transfer them to a bowl of ice water.)
• Peel the apricots, discard the pits and cut the fruit flesh into small pieces.
• Toss the apricot pieces with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and set aside. Let cool completely.
• Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt. When the mixture becomes foamy add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stop the mixer when still peaks form.
• Separately, beat the rest of the sugar together with the butter until creamy (about 3 minutes on medium-high speed)
• Beat in the egg yolks. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for a few seconds.
• Beat in half the combined dry ingredients. Mix in the milk and then beat in the other half of the dry ingredients.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for a few seconds.
• Fold in the egg white mixture and then gently mix in the marzipan pieces.
• Pour half the batter into the prepared bundt pan.

• Distribute the sugared apricots over the top of the batter and pour the rest of the batter over the apricots.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• Check the cake and if the top is nicely browned but a knife inserted in the middle does not come out clean. Cover the top of the cake with aluminum foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let cool completely.
• Whisk together the orange juice and powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time until the mixture becomes the consistency of a pourable glaze. Add more orange juice or water if the glaze is too thick.

• Pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the wet glaze.
• When the glaze has hardened, transfer the cake to a serving platter. Cut and serve.

Like Apricots? Try these Recipes: