Marzipan Cake with Apricots

My friend asked me if I can make a Birthday cake for his boyfriend's party. Obviously I said yes, but as there supposed to be quite many people I ought to make two cakes: One marzipan cake-as that is his favourite, and one Summer Fruits and Curd Cheese cake-Ribizlis Túrótorta in Hungarian-which is her favourite. And then on the same week I forgot I already have one Birthday party to go with a cake,so I ended up making 3 cakes in a 3days time span-and be at the party as well, and work, as it was all on weekdays.

So I did two marzipan cake so I can practise for it, as I never did it before and that was the first time when I used my chocolate transfer sheets in my life. I adapted the recipe from Nigella Lawson's as it is quick to prepare and if you like marzipan you going to love it. And the idea of the cake with apricot in it come from another blogger.

Marzipan Cake

For the cake

250g unsalted butter, softened

250g softened marzipan

150g caster sugar

1/4 tsp almond essence

1vanilla pod

6large eggs

150g self raising flour

8 apricots, washed, halved

For the decoration/optional

either some icing sugar on top 

or like me

250g marzipan

some icing sugar to roll the marzipan out

3-4tbsp apricot glazing-or sieved apricot jam

50g dark chocolate

chocolate transfer sheet for the bow or simple acetate sheet

Preheat the oven to 170C and line a 23cm spring form tin. Chop the butter and marzipan to make them easier to break down, and put them in the bowl of the food processor, fitted with the double bladed knife, with the sugar: Process until combined and pretty well smooth. Add the almond essence and vanilla seeds, process again then break the eggs one at a time through the funnel, processing again each time. Tip the flour down the funnel, processing yet again, and then pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Push half way down into the mixture the apricots, evenly distributing them across the cake.

Bake for 50minutes , but check from 40. Then, when the cakes looks golden and cooked and a cake tester comes out cleanish(as the marzipan in the heat of the oven is still liquidish, it will never come out completely clean, but as the cake cools down the marzipan will harden), remove form the oven and leave to cool in the tin before turning out.

When the cake is ready roll the marzipan to the size of the cake on some icing sugar. In a small pan heat the apricot glazing until it becomes liquid, take off from the heat and with a brush cover the cake top and sides thinly (this will act as a glue to fix the marzipan layer on). Place on top the marzipan layer and smooth the surface with a cake smoother to have a nice finish.

For the chocolate bow.

Cut 9  3X15cm  and 2  3X13cm chocolate transfer sheets, placing them textured side up on a surface. Melt the chocolate over some simmering water in a bowl, then place some chocolate to all strips and smooth it to cover the whole surfaced with and offset spatula. 

Transfer the 2 long strips to a tray that will fit into your fridge. For the 9 other strips that will make up the bow: when the chocolate starts to cool down an set. pick one up,  bend it, with the chocolate on the inside, to form a tear drop shape and set it on the sides. If it is necessary (depends on the acetate sheets you use) secure the ends together with a small paper clip(but be careful, if the paper clip is still new it can squeeze out the chocolate-therefore it is recommended to loosen it a bit). Repeat with the remaining chocolate-coated strips of acetate than refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set.

When they set, carefully peel off the sheets form the chocolate. Place the two straight piece across the cake(you can overlap the chocolate in the middle, as it will be covered with the bow anyway) and arrange the tear drops on top 2 for the four sides and one in the middle-that I haven't done:)

Hints and tips:

If you don't have enough time to cool down the cake(you rushing home from work, made two cakes and you should have already left for the party...) and you place the chocolate bow on the slightly warm cake..........well it will melt your chocolate work, so don't do it-see picture above. By the time we arrived the chocolate was all melted and there was a flat chocolate cross on a cake:( Rather transfer the chocolate work in a separate tray and place it on before you hand over the cake...