Apricot, Cranberry and Pecan Cake

A slice of this Apricot, cranberry and pecan cake goes perfectly with a morning coffee or afternoon cup of tea. It keeps for up to a week so you can spoil yourself with a little slice every day.

The Great British Bake Off

Are you a follower of the Great British Bake Off? I am! Now in its 10th year I have been following the show on and off for most of it.

In case you are unaware of the show, it is a TV show where amateur bakers compete with each other to become Britains best amateur baker.

Each week one baker is awarded star baker and another is sent home. Over the years it has launched a whole new career in the publishing or baking business for some of the lucky winners.

Its also been credited with playing a big part in a baking revival here in the UK in recent years and which I'm glad to say shows no sign of abating.

When I started my Recipes Made Easy blog bake in 2016, I joined in a blogger bake off each week posting a bake inspired by the show and along the way got to know some other great UK food bloggers and won myself the title of star blogger/baker a couple of times.

I enjoyed it so much that each year since I have baked along with the show and shared my bakes. You can find some of my earlier Great British Bake Off Recipes here.

Now that I have taken over Only Crumbs Remain this year I will be posting my Bake Off inspired bakes here.

Signature Fruit Cake

This season, the first task of week one was to bake a signature fruit cake. So to celebrate the return of the show I am sharing my signature fruit cake bake. This apricot and cranberry pecan bake is so delicious and really easy to make.

It has a fabulous light texture, keeps well and has just a little hint of spice that takes this fruit cake to the next level. It would make an alternative Christmas cake for those who do not like heavy fruit cakes.

To Decorate or not to Decorate the Fruit Cake

Normally when I make a cake like this, unless it is for a special occasion like Christmas I would serve the cake plain. However, the challenge required the contestants to decorate the cake and so as this is a bake-off inspired bake I decided I should go the extra mile.

I'm kind of glad I did. I kept the decoration simple just glazing some extra apricots, cranberries and pecans in a little honey and spooning around the edge of the cake.

Not essential for the enjoyment of the cake but boy they taste good!

I will leave it up to you. But it really doesn't take much extra effort and I do think it is worth it.

If you like Cranberries and Pecans as much as I do you may also like to try my Cranberry and Pecan Couronne

Step by step Apricot Cranberry and Pecan Fruit Cake

📖 Recipe

Apricot, Cranberry and Pecan Fruit Cake

A light fruit cake with dried apricots, dried cranberries and pecan nuts with just a hint of spice. Decorated with honey glazed fruit and nuts.

Course afternoon tea, Cake

Cuisine British

Keyword baking, family cake, fruitcake

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings 12

Calories 300

Author Jacqueline Bellefontaine

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Equipment

• 20cm (8iround deep cake tin
• baking parchment
• hand or stand mixer

Ingredients

• 150 g (5oz) dried apricots chopped
• 75 g (3oz) dried cranberries
• 150 ml (¼pt) freshly squeezed orange juice
• 100 g (3½oz) golden caster sugar
• 75 g (3oz) muscovado sugar
• 175 g (6oz) butter softened
• 3 large eggs
• 225 g (8oz) plain flour
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• 50 g (2oz) pecans chopped
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamon seeds or
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

To decorate

• 6 tablespoon clear honey
• 50 g (2oz) dried apricots
• 25 g (1oz) dried cranberries
• 25 g (1oz) pecan nuts

Instructions

• Place 150g (5oz) chopped dried apricots, 75g (3oz) dried cranberries and 150ml (¼ pt)freshly squeezed orange juice and heat gently until the orange juice just comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Grease and line the base of a 20cm (8in) deep round cake tin with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4.
• Place 100g (3½ oz) caster sugar, 75g (3oz) light muscovado sugar in a mixing bowl with 175g (6oz) butter and beat until pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Add 1 tablespoon of the 225g (8oz) plain flour with the last egg to help prevent curdling.
• Add the cooled fruit, and pecan nuts to the bowl. Sift in the remaining flour and 1½ teaspoon baking powder. Then add ¼ teaspoon ground cardamon seeds or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Carefully fold the ingredients together until well mixed.
• Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes - 1 hour until risen golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate

• Heat the honey in a small saucepan and stir in the dried apricots, cranberries and pecan nuts. Stir until well coated bring the honey to the boil, then allow to cool slightly before spooning around the edge of the cake. Allow to set before serving. Take care the honey will be extremely hot to begin with don't be tempted to taste it until fully cold.

Notes

I've used a mixture of caster sugar and light muscovado to add a little extra flavour to the cake but you can use all caster sugar if you prefer.

Ideally, allow the soaked fruit to cool completely before adding to the cake mix. If time is short and you need to add it while still warm.

Take extra care when spooning the honey glazed fruit on the cake. You need to do this before it is fully cooled but the honey will be extremely hot to begin with and could give a nasty burn if you get it on your skin.

Store

In an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freeze: undecorated for up to 3 months.

Calories are calculated using an online nutrition database and are approximate and meant as a guideline only

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment or mention @OnlyCrumbsRemain or tag #OnlyCrumbsRemain!