Apricot Cake

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 100 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar
• 100 g flour
• 1 pinch baking powder
• 50 g apricot jam
• 20 ml apricot liqueur
• 6 sheets gelatin
• 600 g canned apricot halves
• 600 g quark
• 200 ml whipping cream
• 100 g sugar
• 150 ml whipping cream
• 30 g chopped pistachios

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) with top and bottom heat.

2. 2.

   Line a springform pan with parchment paper.

3. 3.

   For the sponge, separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks and set aside cold. Whisk the yolks with sugar, salt, grated orange zest, and vanilla sugar until fluffy. Fold the beaten whites into the mixture. Sift flour with baking powder over the batter and fold in gently.

4. 4.

   Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden yellow.

5. 5.

   Let the base cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack and cut crosswise.

6. 6.

   Warm the apricot jam in a saucepan, stir in the liqueur, let it cool slightly, and brush both cake layers with it.

7. 7.

   Place the first layer on a cake plate and set a ring around it.

8. 8.

   Soak the gelatin. Drain the apricots, allow them to drip, and reserve the juice. Cut about one‑third into wedges and set aside; dice the rest into small cubes.

9. 9.

   Mix quark with yogurt, 60 ml apricot juice, grated orange zest, and sugar.

10. 10.

    Dissolve the gelatin in a small saucepan over low heat while stirring. Stir 2–3 tbsp of the cream into the gelatin, then gently fold the gelatin into the cream. Fold in the apricots. Spread this mixture over the first cake layer, smooth it, place the second layer on top, press lightly, and refrigerate for about 3 hours.

11. 11.

    Remove the cake from the ring. Whip the cream to stiff peaks, pipe it with a large star nozzle onto the cake, sprinkle pistachios around the edge, and garnish with remaining apricots before serving.