Apricot Brandy Pound Cake

Apricot Brandy Pound Cake

Active Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Serves 12

For the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter
3 3/4 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup apricot brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 drop red food coloring
1 drop yellow food coloring
2 oz dried apricots, chopped

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and line a 9-inch round cake pan with 3 inch sides.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, brandy, and vanilla. Stir in the apricots. Fold in the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE ICING:
Sift the confectioners' sugar into a small bowl, stir in the butter and enough lemon juice to make a stiff paste. Stir over hot water until the icing is spreadable. Stir in the food coloring. Spread icing over cake and decorate with apricots.