Pound Cake with Grand Marnier-Poached Apricots

Ingredients

• •2 cups unsalted butter
• •3 cups all-purpose flour
• •1 teaspoon kosher salt
• •½ teaspoons cream of tartar
• •½ teaspoons ground cardamom
• •2 cups superfine sugar
• •6 whole large eggs
• •½ cup heavy cream
• •1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• •⅔ cup Grand Marnier
• •⅔ cup granulated sugar
• •2 cups dried apricots
• •1 piece peeled ginger
• •1 cup whipped cream
• •1 piece tube pan

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°F. Butter and flour pan. Whisk salt, cream of tartar, cardamom, and 3 cups flour in a medium bowl.

   5 min

2. 2.

   Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat 2 cups butter until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until very light and creamy, 6-8 minutes longer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in cream and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until mostly combined. Finish mixing with a rubber spatula just until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

   15 min

3. 3.

   Bake cake, rotating halfway through, until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 70-80 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cake cool completely before turning out.

   80 min

4. 4.

   DO AHEAD: Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

5. 5.

   Bring Grand Marnier, granulated sugar, and 2/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add apricots and ginger, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until apricots are very soft, 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

   25 min

6. 6.

   Remove ginger just before serving. Serve cake with apricots and syrup and whipped cream.

   5 min

7. 7.

   DO AHEAD: Apricots can be poached 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.