Apricot & Elderflower Cake with Crème Fraiche Cream

I feel like apricots are often forgotten about when all of the lovely seasonal summer fruits flood the supermarkets, so I wanted to create a cake that celebrated them.

I kept the canvas pretty clean & went for a classic victoria sponge soaked in elderflower syrup. The whipped cream is also lightly flavoured with elderflower. Its made with a mixture of double cream and crème fraiche which creates a mousse-like texture. Sitting in the well of cream is a lake of glistening apricot compote, and some soft roasted apricot halves. This is a beautiful but simple cake with punchy flavours balancing alongside more delicate ones. Its honestly a gorgeous slice.

Ingredients - makes 1x8inch cake
Apricot compote:
300g fresh apricots, de-stoned and quartered (approx. 8)
80g honey
Squeeze of lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
15ml elderflower cordial
1 tsp cornflour

Roasted apricots:
8 apricots, de-stoned and halved
1 1/2 tbsp honey
30ml elderflower cordial

Vanilla sponge:
200g caster sugar
200g unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla paste
200g eggs (approx. 4 medium)
200g self raising flour
1 tbsp milk

Elderflower soak:
35g water
35g caster sugar
35ml elderflower cordial

Crème fraiche cream:
300g double cream
120g crème fraiche
20g caster sugar
15ml elderflower cordial
1 tsp vanilla paste

Method
The day before:
For the apricot compote, place all the ingredients into a saucepan except the cornflour. Cook on low heat with the lid on for 5-10 minutes until the apricots have softened and completely broken down. Take a few tbsp of the compote and whisk it together with the cornflour to make a slurry. Add this back into the pan and bring to the boil whilst whisking. Remove from the heat. Once cooled slightly, taste it to see if it needs anymore honey and adjust as needed. Pour into a container, place clingfilm onto the surface and chill.

For the roasted apricots, place the halved apricots into a baking dish and drizzle over the honey and elderflower cordial. Roast in the oven at 150°C for 20-30 minutes until softened but still holding their shape. Flip the apricots over to coat in the thick syrup before placing in the fridge to chill until needed.

The day of serving:
For the vanilla cake, preheat your oven to 160°C. Grease and line an 8-inch tin with butter and baking paper. Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy and pale. Add in one egg at a time, beating to combine after each one. Fold through the flour before adding in the milk and mixing to combine. Spoon the cake batter into your prepared tin and, using the back of a spoon, level it into an even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until it is golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool completely.

Once the cake has cooled, you can make the elderflower soak. Heat all of the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil.

Take your cooled sponge and remove it from the tin. Place onto a serving plate. Poke holes all over the surface of the cake using a skewer. Brush the elderflower soak over the top and sides of the cake. Wipe away any excess soak that has fallen on the sides of the plate. Leave to one side while you make the cream.

Whisk all of the crème fraiche cream ingredients together until you have soft peaks. Spoon the cream on top of the cake. Spread out the cream into an even layer before creating a well in the middle. Spoon the apricot compote into the well to cover. Arrange your roasted apricot halves on top and garnish with violas. Serve.

This cake is best eaten on the day it’s made but will last well for a few days in the fridge.