Apricot, Almond and Lemon Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ¾ cup buttermilk or sour cream
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 cups diced dried apricots

Directions

1. Set your oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Coat a loaf pan with butter, add a parchment liner, and butter the parchment too.
2. Into a small bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the black pepper and stir to combine. If chile powder is going in, mix it in at this point.
3. Use a stand mixer bowl or work by hand to beat the eggs until foamy, about a minute. Stir in the sifted dry mixture. Add the melted butter and mix until everything is fully incorporated, then fold in the apricots, the cheese, the fennel seeds, the lemon zest, and the almonds.
4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing it in, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. It is done when a knife pushed into the middle comes back clean.
5. Take the cake out of the oven and leave it in the pan for about 5 minutes, then turn it onto a cooling rack. After a few more minutes, peel away the parchment and let the cake cool completely before serving.