Apricot Layer Cake

Two weeks out. I have a list and I am working it.

The German chocolate cake: third test came out right. The cake is moist, the frosting has the right balance of coconut and pecan and caramel sweetness, and it holds its shape when sliced. I will make it the Friday before the wedding, transport it Saturday morning in the cooler I use for church events. I told Destiny about the test process and she laughed and said she hadn't realized I was going through all this trouble. I told her it's not trouble, it's practice, and there is a difference.

I made the yeast rolls Wednesday evening as a test run too. Two dozen. They were gone by Thursday morning because I brought them to Bernice's Table and Sister Odalys and Brother Grover's crew made short work of them. Unanimous vote that they were ready for a wedding.

Kezia has been coming regularly and this week I taught her how to make yeast rolls from scratch. She has gotten quick — her hands have a confidence now that they didn't have in June. She asked me when I learned to make yeast rolls and I told her I was about her age, watching Bernice, and Bernice had learned from her own mother, and before that there are women in this line whose names I don't know but whose hands I am still using. Kezia wrote that down too. She writes down the things that aren't recipes — the stories behind them. I think she is going to do something with all this someday. I don't know what, but something.

Destiny's rehearsal dinner is Saturday the twenty-fifth. I'm making the food. Roast chicken thighs, risotto, the cucumber salad Shanice liked when she came for dinner in August. It will be the first time Travis's whole family meets my side in one room and I want it to feel like abundance. Food that says: welcome to us, we are glad you're here, there is more than enough.

All those test batches reminded me that a cake made for someone you love deserves to be practiced — not guessed at. While the German chocolate cake is locked in for Destiny’s wedding day, this Apricot Layer Cake has been on my mind ever since: the same kind of careful, layered work, but with a brightness that would suit a rehearsal dinner table just as well as a celebration. It’s the kind of cake that tells people there is more than enough, and that someone put in the time to make sure of it.

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 1 hr 5 min | Servings: 12

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 cup apricot preserves, divided
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
Alternate dry and wet. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined — do not overmix.
Bake. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Warm the preserves. Gently heat 3/4 cup of the apricot preserves in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until loose and spreadable. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whip the cream. Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and almond extract together on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.
Assemble the cake. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread the warmed apricot preserves evenly over the top. Spoon a generous layer of whipped cream over the preserves. Set the second cake layer on top and press gently.
Finish and garnish. Spread remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake. Warm the remaining 1/4 cup preserves and drizzle over the top. Scatter chopped dried apricots over the surface. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Apricot Layer Cake — Practice Makes It Perfect for Destiny’s Wedding