Cherry Almond Loaf Cake Variation

Asked by Pawprints. Answered on 28th May 2014

Full question

Hi, my friend has been desperately looking for an almond and apricot loaf cake that her Gran used to make but is struggling to find an exact recipe. I was just wondering could you substitute the cherries in the this recipe with chopped dried apricots? And if so would it be the same quantities or different? Thank you!

Our answer

Nigella's Cherry Almond Loaf Cake (from Domestic Goddess and on the Nigella website) is made with glace cherries but we suspect that you could substitute dried apricots for the cherries, and apricots and almonds are a good combination. However bear in mind that the cherries are more succulent than dried apricots so the texture of the fruit in the loaf cake will be slightly different. The apricots may also sink a little more as they are more dense than the cherries.

If you would like to try using apricots then we would use the same weight of apricots (200g) and use the very soft ready to eat type of apricots. Quarter the apricots and toss them in a little flour, as you would for the cherries in the recipe. It may also be nice to soak the apricots first so that they plump up a little. You could try putting them in a small saucepan with 100ml/7 tablespoons orange juice, bring to a boil and then take off the heat and leave to soak for an hour. Amaretto would also be worth considering if you wanted to use alcohol. Drain off any excess liquid and blot the apricots on some paper towels before tossing them with the flour.