Apricot Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups +2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon apricot extract
1/4 cup apricot jam  

You can also add dried chopped apricots if you like.

For the Icing:
3 cups Buttercream

1/4 cup apricot jam

1 teaspoon apricot extract

Procedure:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 6 inch cake pans.

2. Sift together flour, cornstarch baking powder and salt.

3.Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix till incorporated.Add in jam and extract and mix until combined.

4.Add the flour and milk in three batches mixing until incorporated..

5.Fold the nuts and apricots.Transfer the mixture to the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.Let cool for 10  minutes before removing the cakes from the cake pans

6.For the icing whip the extract and jam with the buttercream, you can add orange color if you like.Place 1 teaspoon of icing on the cake circle and then place one layer of cake on the cake circle on it.Place about a cup of icing on top and spread evenly with spatula(you can also put some fresh chopped apricots).Place the second layer on top(make sure the bottom smooth side is facing up so you have an even surface(If you have a cake that has risen and is not flat enough to ice it level it and then place it crumb side down).Place 1 1/2 more cups of icing on top and start spreading on the top pushing it to the sides and then ice the sides as well.Pipe your favorite design,I used vanilla icing for the white details piped using a start tip.  

Do not over mix the eggs or batter.

You can use any flavor jam to create your favorite flavors.