APRICOT AND ALMOND TORTE

 Apricots are sweet, tangy and juicy at the moment.  This cake is simple to

 prepare and is simply delicious to eat. 

 Serves 10-12

 Ingredients

½ cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking pan

1 large egg

½  cup milk

1 lemon, finely grated zest 

1 cup (200 g) sugar, plus 3 Tbsp

¼  tsp almond extract

1 cup (125 g) flour

½  cup (60 g) fine cornmeal

2 tsp of baking powder

¼ tsp salt

8 ripe apricots, halved and stones removed

½ cup sliced almonds

3 Tbsp butter, at room temperature

Method

Heat oven to 180 C.  Lightly grease and line a 20cm baking tin. 

Whisk the oil, egg, milk, lemon zest, 1 cup sugar, and almond extract, mixing until             thoroughly blended.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 15 minutes.

Mix together 3 Tbsp softened butter and 3 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl, add the sliced almonds and gently mix through. 

After the 15 minutes is up, carefully remove the cake and arrange the apricots (cut side up).  Drop little clumps of the almond mixture all over the surface of the cake and return to the oven and continue cooking for a further 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 15 minutes before removing.

Eat at room temperature.