Eatable Sunshine

Ah, the joy of bakerapy (i.e: baking + therapy. My lame attempt to coin a new word!) Crack an egg, and the muscles in your back feel less tense. Throw in some sugar, flour, a pinch of salt, and your fingers relax from typing on a computer all day. Whisk and mix, and your brain benefits from the hypnotization of a batter's swirl. Optionally- but highy recommended- add some fruity or nutty colours, and let your eyes soothe away (beats cucumber slices or teabags any time!) Bake and wait...and unwind...

What is there not to like about baking? (and cooking of course).

So basically, I treat myself to some baking therapy every once in a while. Most often after a long day at work. Last night for example, I made an abricot-almond-orange flavoured cake. However, when I had started making it, those flavours were definately not what I had in mind. Actually, I had nothing set or fixed in my head. I just gradually start throwing in ingredients, crossing my fingers that it will be eatable once out of the oven!

It looks eatable, and I hope it is because this is for sharing. So I better make sure I'm sharing something of decent taste.

Well to be honest actually, I tried a piece before just incase...you never know what happens when you're not following recipes!

And I really do not want to flatter myself, but it tastes freakin' good! It's like fluff with cream and crisp! Something I'd offer in the morning or afternoon. It has a generous comforting feel, and is like eatable sunshine in the midst of a cold winter day.

So I'm cutting this post short, but the recipe is included- just continue reading!

Recipe for Eatable Sunshine

Ingredients:
(For the batter, I followed a 50/50/50/50 "basic" batter)

• 50gr eggs
• 50gr sugar
• Orange essence or orange zest
• 50gr butter
• 50gr flour
• Baking powder
• Marzipan
• Abricots
• Shredded almonds + butter + sugar

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to th5. Roll out marzipan into a thin layer. Wash abricots, dry, and dice.
2. Mix egg, sugar and orange essence/zest
3. Add in butter and mix
4. Add in flour and baking powder. Mix
5. Place batter in a cake mould.
6. Add layers of marzipan, covering almost entirely the batter
7. Throw in the diced abricots
8. Bake in oven for 30 minutes.
9. During baking time, place a knob of butter in a pan over heat until it melts (don't let it burn!)
10. Then add the shredded almonds and sugar. Caramelize. Set aside
11. When cake is ready and out of the oven, sprinkle the almonds on top for a finishing touch.

Eat warm or cold- either way, you'll still get the fluff, cream, and crisp textures!