Festive Cream Cake

Description
Serves 8 -10



Ingredients

 * Cake:


 * 5 eggs
 * 3/4 cup sugar (180 ml)
 * 1 tsp. baking powder (5 ml)
 * 1/2 cup corn starch (125 ml)
 * 1 cup all-purpose flour (250 ml)


 * Filling:


 * 2 cups pureed sweetened apricots (500 ml)
 * 2 cups whipping cream (500 ml)
 * 1 tbsp. sugar (15 ml)
 * 1 tsp. vanilla (5 ml)


 * Marzipan:


 * 1 package, 100 g, ground almonds, sifted
 * 1 tbsp. wine or water

Directions

 * Cake:
 * Cut wax paper to fit an 20cm round spring form pan.
 * Have eggs at room temperature.
 * Beat eggs until light.
 * Gradually add sugar and continue beating.
 * Sift flour, baking powder, and corn starch and gently fold into eggs.
 * Pour into prepared pan and bake at 190C for 20 minutes.
 * Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
 * Finish cooling.
 * Filling:
 * Whip cream with sugar and vanilla.
 * Split cake in two layers.
 * Spread half of the apricot puree on the bottom layer, and spread half of the whipped cream on top, repeat for second layer.
 * Roll out marzipan, cover the top of the cake.
 * Use an icing bag and decorate top and sides with remaining whipped cream.
 * Garnish with apricot halves.
 * Marzipan:
 * 1 package, 100 g, ground almonds, sifted.
 * Measure ground almonds after it has been sifted and add an equal amount of sifted icing sugar.
 * Moisten with 1 tbsp. wine.
 * Add a few more drops of liquid if necessary.
 * Dust working surface with sifted icing sugar and roll out.
 * Transfer the marzipan onto the cake, trim edges and remove any dry icing sugar with a brush dipped in cold water.
 * Decorate with red frosted grapes.
 * Dip grapes in fork-beaten egg whites, roll in sugar and dry on wax paper.