Red Currant Bakery

Apricot Butter
0 Rinse and pit the apricots.
2 Add the halves, or quarters if you cut them smaller, into a large heavy bottomed pot with the juice of half a lemon, water, and sugar.Heat over medium low heat, stirring regularly. 
3  It's important that the apricots break down rather than reduce the apricots too much.Keep the heat low so that the the apricots and sugar don't burn.
4 Cook until the apricots have broken down and the excess water has evaporated. The time will depend on the pot, burner, and how much you are making.
5 Store the apricot butter in an airtight container. Once cooled to room temperature place the container in the fridge until ready to assemble.
6 This recipe makes more than you need for just the cake but extras are delicious on a piece of toast or bowl of oats!
Vanilla Almond Cake
8 Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven. 
9  In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extracts.Use the paddle attachment to beat on medium high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
10 Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing completely before adding the next. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl in between each egg.
11 Pour in the almond flour, all purpose flour, and baking powder and mix again on medium speed for about 30 seconds until combined.
12 Spray a 7" cake pan with a baking spray containing flour.
13 Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
14 Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.
15 Place the baked cake on a wire rack to cool for ten minutes. Then run a knife along the edge between the cake and the pan.
16 Remove the spring form or tip the cake out of the pan. Leave to cool completely on a piece of parchment paper on a wire rack.
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
18 In a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate in 15 second intervals, stirring in between until smooth. You can also use a double boiler. 
19 Set aside to cool off.
20 In a separate large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
21 Whip on medium high speed for one minute until smooth.
22 Add the melted white chocolate into the cream cheese one spoonful at a time. 
23 Whip the mixture after each addition until fully combined.
24 Add in 50 grams of softened butter and whip to combine.
25 Pour in the heavy cream and whip again on medium high speed until medium stiff peaks form. 
26 Place in the fridge until ready to assemble. Make sure it has firmed up before starting to assemble.
Assemble
28 Once everything has chilled and the cream is stiff, it's time to assemble.
29 Cut the cake into two layers. Place the bottom layer on a cake stand or whichever dish you plan to serve it on.
30 Scoop about half of the cream onto the bottom layer of the cake and spread to within a half inch of the edge of the cake.
31 Scoop the second half of the whipped cream onto the top of the cake.
32 Place the cake in the fridge to firm up for at least an hour but ideally overnight!
33 Before serving, you can leave it as is or top with sautéed apricots. Cut the apricots in half and add them into a medium pan with a tablespoon of butter plus a tablespoon of sugar over medium low heat until softened but not mushy.
34 Allow the apricots to cool completely and place on top of the cream.