This is a type of cake I've been making for over a decade, and it is perfect as an everyday cake, with tea or coffee, or if you like picnics, it also transports very well. But I've been somewhat timid about sharing the recipe because of how the filling is made, blending the cooked fruit filling with a portion of the cake itself, because it somehow seemed not as precise as I like my recipes to be.
However, digital scales to the rescue; because weighing the exact portion that is mixed with the filling solves the riddle perfectly. And yes, from then on, it is a fairly straightforward cake, it feeds a crowd, and is lovely for smaller gatherings.
With summer being in full swing, this combination is wonderfully refreshing for those heatwaves. Ripe apricots, mangoes, as well as plenty of lemon juice keep the cake sweet, zesty, and tangy, and work perfectly with the soft almond cake and white chocolate glaze. All it needs is a tall glass of ice cold lemonade and a small cup of coffee. Nothing more.
Ingredients
For the cake layer
180 grams plain flour30 grams blanched almonds, finely ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
200 grams granulated sugar
240 millilitres carbonated water
30 millilitres neutral oil
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the frosting
350 grams ripe apricots300 grams ripe mangoes
100 grams granulated sugar
30 millilitres lemon juice
15 grams cornflour
30 millilitres cold water
45 grams vegan block butter, cold
120 grams vegan block butter, melted
For the topping
80 grams vegan white chocolate20 millilitres neutral oil
Preparation
Start by making the jam for the filling. Purée the fruit and sugar until completely smooth, add in the lemon juice, and blend again. Pour it into a heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Let it slowly come to a boil and cook for about 55-60 minutes, stirring almost constantly. It should reduce to 400 grams of jam.
You do not have to check intensely for the setting point, as long as it has cooked down to about half of the original volume, it will be fine. Whisk together the cornflour and water, add it to the jam, and cook for 2-3 minutes more, until smooth. Remove it from the heat, add in the vegan block butter, and stir gently until melted and combined. Let it cool down completely.
To make the cake, start by preheating the oven to 180°C and lining a medium cake pan (16 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add in the almond and the sugar, and whisk very well. Add in all of the wet ingredients in no particular order, and whisk gently until combined. As soon as the batter comes together, pour it into the prepared pan, tap lightly on the counter, and bake immediately, at 180°C, for about 35 minutes. Let it cool completely in the cake pan.
Mine was baked after exactly 36 minutes.
Once the cake and jam are cool to the touch, divide the cake into two unequal layers. Leave about 1 cm of cake as the base, and use the rest of the cake for the filling.
There should be around 450 grams of cake for the filling.
Place the base on a cake plate, add a strip of acetate around it and close a cake right tightly. Set it aside briefly.
Place the remaining cake into a bowl and crumble it well with your hands. Add in 350 grams of the cooked jam and the melted vegan butter and mix with your hands or a sturdy whisk. It should look like a very thick frosting. Spread it evenly over the cake, top with the remaining jam, and place it into the refrigerator for about an hour or two.
When ready to decorate, melt together the chocolate and the oil, either over low heat or in the microwave, glaze the top of the cake, and return it to the refrigerator overnight. The cake gets better the longer it chills. Yields 12-16 servings.
