White Chocolate Apricot Loaf

I was four when I baked my first cake. Standing on a wobbly stool in our kitchen in England, I whisked clumsily as my mom guided me. The recipe wasn’t ours it all came from a tiny tea shop we’d visited on a sunny afternoon in Cotswolds, UK.

The owner served us a generous warm slice of her family’s white chocolate apricot cake. One bite, and I was hooked. She scribbled the recipe on a napkin with a wink, saying, “Now it’s your family’s recipe, Go spread the love!"

Months later, me and my mom gave it a go. I chopped up the dry apricots, nibbled marzipan, and carefully sprinkled almonds on top. The buttery aroma of the baking cake filled our home, and when we finally sliced it, it was magical.

It has been nearly 10 years since I first baked this loaf, that recipe is still our family favorite. But no matter how many times I bake it, nothing beats the first loaf where my love for baking started.


  • Time to make: 25 minutes
  • Time to bake: About 1 hour
  • Makes: A 900g (2lb) loaf, which cuts into 8 slices

Ingredients:

  • 200g (8oz) premium white chocolate
  • 100g (4oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 200g (8oz) unsalted butter
  • 100g (4oz) soft light brown sugar
  • 200g (8oz) self-raising flour
  • 200g (8oz) good marzipan or almond paste
  • 50g (2oz) nibbed almonds

Instructions:

  1. Preparation:
    Look out a 900g (2lb) loaf tin. Grease and line with greaseproof paper. Set the oven to 150°C (300°F), Gas Mark 1.

  2. Chop Ingredients:
    Coarsely chop the white chocolate and apricots. Crack the eggs into a mug and whisk lightly with a fork.

  3. Cream Butter and Sugar:
    Put the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs until the mixture is light and fluffy.

  4. Combine Dry Ingredients:
    Place a sieve over the bowl, add the self-raising flour, and sift. Fold in gently with a metal spoon. Then, fold in the chopped white chocolate and apricots.

  5. Layer the Mixture:
    Spoon one-third of the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and smooth it flat.

  6. Prepare Marzipan Layer:
    Lightly dust the work surface with cornflour. Divide the marzipan in half. Roll out one piece to a rectangle large enough to cover the cake mixture. Place it in the tin and cover with half of the remaining cake mixture.

  7. Second Layer:
    Roll out the second piece of marzipan into a rectangle large enough to cover the second layer of the cake mixture. Place it on top and add the remaining cake mixture. Smooth the surface.

  8. Bake:
    Sprinkle with the nibbed almonds and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

  9. Cool and Serve:
    Allow the cake to cool in the tin before transferring it to a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!