Heavenly Honey and Apricot Almond Cake

This dense, honey sweetened cake is a real treat. Plate it with a wedge of ripe apricot drizzled with a bit of honey and then nestle a whole almond in the apricot pit hollow. Serve with a cup of chai for a delightful and unforgetable sensory experience. It's manna. Truly.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• For the fruit layer

• 1 1⁄2 lbs  ripe apricots, quartered and pitted (about 4 cups)
• 1  cup  slivered almonds, blanched and rough chopped
• 1⁄3 cup honey
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  tablespoons flour

• For the cake

• 1  cup honey
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 3  teaspoons arrowroot, in
• 1  cup water
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄2 cup  ground almonds
• 1  cup flour
• 1  cup whole wheat flour
• 3  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 10 inch springform pan with non stick cooking spray or lightly coat with vegetable oil.
3. Make fruit layer for the cake by mixing together the first 4 ingredients.
4. Then sprinkle the flour over the fruit and stir a few times to blend.
5. In a large bowl, mix honey, oil, arrowroot slurry and vanilla.
6. In a small bowl, combine the flours, ground almond, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
7. Sift flour mixture into the honey mixture and stir to blend.
8. Pour slightly less than half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
9. Spoon the fruit mixture evenly over the batter and then cover with the remaining batter.
10. Bake for 30 minutes.
11. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake another 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out cleanly.
12. Cook cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the sides.
13. Cool cake completely before slicing.