peach trifle and a gluten free apricot cake

This post is brought to you by Woolworths Select

Growing up I have lots of memories of spending weekends and holidays at grandma’s house. And dessert at grandma’s house was always the same. Canned fruit with a vanilla ice cream slice. Not a scoop always a slice, remember those vanilla slices you’d have to unwrap. I like memories like that and hope my little ones have their own memories of growing up in our house and what we ate. I’m a big fan of canned fruit because it’s a great way to have fruit in the cupboard and can easily be served up for dessert and is so great for baking. And I love baking.

And to share the baking love I have two very easy and oh so family friendly desserts to try out at your house. And to make them even friendlier I’ve made the apricot cake gluten free. These all passed the taste test at our house and also are great for feeding a crowd………….or large family.

Woolworths Select are now using Australian fruit in their canned fruit range and it comes from some of Australia’s best fruit regions. I think it’s important to buy australian made and austraian produce so think this is a great move…..and Woolworths are trying to do this across all of their Select range. The taste and quality of the fruit I used in these recipes was great and you wouldn’t associate it with ‘ home brand’.

Trifle is one of those good old fashioned desserts that just goes a long way. You can cheat and buy all the ingredients and just assemble or if you have a bit more time up your sleeve make the cake and custard from scratch and go all out in the homemade department. Whatever you decide this is just a winner and we got 3 dessert sittings and sent some off to the neighbours too. Whatever you do just make sure you make it in a glass bowl to show off all of those pretty layers.

Now the apricot cake is something I’ve been making for a while but I’m trying to follow a gluten free diet so thought no better place to start than with my baking. And this cake is so easy but looks so special with the apricots on top. And to serve a crowd or when you’re entertaining, just double the cake batter and bake in a large rectangular baking tray and top with a whole can of apricots…..like this…..

Now every so often my apricots sink……it’s heartbreaking but these things do happen. So I’ve resorted to covering the whole apricot in a dusting of flour which does help them from sinking to the bottom but they do kind of go to the middle. Next trick is towards the end of baking to top with another apricot to give you the pretty presentation. For extra wow factor dust with some icing sugar and serve with whipped cream.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did…………..and keep an eye out for the Australian canned fruit ranges from Woolworths Select.

easy peach trifle
 
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You can use whatever fruit you like for this trifle. I went with peaches because I was trying to use a few different fruits in these recipes but whatever you have going will be fabulous.
Serves: 12
What you'll need
  • one packet of jelly crystals (whatever flavour you feel like)
  • 2 jam roll cakes (you'll find them in the bread section at Woolworths
  • 1 litre of custard (homemade or store bought)
  • 1 820g Woolworths Select Peach Slices
  • 600mls cream for whipping (I know, this isn't a low fat recipe)
  • maraschino cherry (optional, these can be hard to find)
Instructions
  1. Make the jelly according to the packet and leave to refrigerate until it's wobbly but not totally set.
  2. Find a nice glass bowl for serving and lay some jam roll slices around the base.
  3. Cover with some peaches and syrup which you can spoon over the cake pieces gently.
  4. Pour on the jelly then half of the custard
  5. Place another layer of jam roll slices, more peaches and syrup then the rest of the custard
  6. Place a final round of jam roll slices on top of the trifle and cover with whipped cream (which I whipped until nice and thick with a few Tbsps of icing sugar)
  7. Spread out nicely and top with whipped cream
  8. Put a cherry on top and refrigerate until needed
  9. If you like a drop of alcohol you can add something like brandy or cointreau to your cream (just a little) or drizzle over the cake layers when you add them in to the trifle.

 
gluten free apricot cake
 
Prep time
Cook time
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this makes one big cake and is great when you have people over
Recipe type: special diets
What you'll need
  • 100g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup/110g raw caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup/150g Woolworths Macro Gluten free SR flour
  • ½ cup/60g milk
  • 1 egg white
  • Woolworths Select 820g can of Apricot Halves in juice
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and sugar together. I like to do mine in the thermomix for 20 seconds on speed 5 or you can do it with a good old wooden spoon or electric mixer until the mixture is pale, creamy and thickened.
  2. Add in egg and combine for about a minute.
  3. Then sift in the flour and add in the milk. Gently combine until it's all mixed through. Now in a separate clean bowl beat an egg white until peaks form. Gently fold this into your cake mixture in 2 separate additions.
  4. Spread into a lined small cake tin.
  5. Take out some apricot halves and coat in gluten free flour and gently place on top of the cake. Don't press down.
  6. Bake in a 170C/350F oven for about 30 minutes until the cake is cooked.
  7. If your apricots sink then just tops extra apricots around the cake once the cake is halfway through the cooking time
  8. Remove tin from oven, leave to cool in tin for about a minute or two then remove from the tin and leave to cool.
  9. Mind you I like this warm. Enjoy

 

Comments

  1. They both look yum Corrie. And you put a smile on my face – I remember those ice cream slices. My mum used to sandwich them between 2 wafers. I had mine, as is, with tinned peaches. Do they still make them?

    • Yes, I loved them with the wafers!! Might have to get back into Woolies to get some canned fruit – the apricot cake looks amazing. After I read your post about the animal cards I took Miss 3 in for the album and cards (this morning), and she has asked at least five times whether we need to go to the supermarket to get more animal cards.

  2. Bec Gardner says:

    Hi!
    2 quick questions, is the Australian fruit canned in Australia or is it shipped to New Zealand for canning? Also, what preservatives are added to the fruit? I have become obsessed with preservatives since I tried shopping at Aldi’s to save a few dollars and discovered they use preservatives not common in Aussie foods and I am severely allergic.
    Thanks!

  3. These look delicious – I love trifle! Yum! Gonna stock up on some tinned fruit soon.

  4. The apricot cake looks wonderful. I might bake it tomorrow. :) Thanks for the recipe :)

  5. Oh lovely Ide like to try this cake,thank you!!

  6. Thanks so much for sharing Corrie!! I am trialling gluten free at the moment too! I’m amazed how much better I feel! You’re recipes are always an inspiration and look so delish!! X

  7. *your (lol it’s getting late!)

  8. Love trifle here and I must try that cake. Love a recipe that uses all the basics. Just a question/suggestion re your sinking fruit. Only last night I had a dessert just like this that a friend made and took to our ladies prayer retreat. She treated it as an upside down cake. Lined the tray with apricots or peaches (can’t remember which now) and poured the batter over top. Turn out after baking and fruit is right where you want it! Would that work with your recipe do you think, Corrie? Thanks again for the motivation to get us baking. x

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