Do you want to know what pairs really well together and are super healthy? Yup, apricots and honey! My low calorie honey apricot cream cake is super delish! It is almost a sin that it is so good and healthy.
A silky-smooth bavarian style honey apricot cream that envelopes two layers of golden sponge cake. The texture is more like a delicate mousse. Each bite is heavenly and your waistline will not hate you for it!
Health Benefits of apricots and honey
Apricots have always been a favorite of mine and their taste somewhere between a peach and a plum. You get a little mix between tartness and sweet! Not to mention the fact the health benefits of these little fleshy beauties are endless!
- Very low in calories and a great source of Vitamin A and C
- Help aid in eye and skin health
- Helps with digestion and very hydrating
- High in antioxidants
Honey, oh where can I start with honey??? It is straight up amazing on anything sweet or savory! Nonetheless, it has health benefits as well!
- It can lower cholesterol and triglycerides
- Rich in antioxidants
- Helps promote wound and burn healing
If you make my low calorie honey apricot cream cake, the guilt won’t be there since there are so many health benefits! I adapted my recipe from eating well magazine and added the honey to the puree for a more rich flavor!
Power ingredients for the low calorie cake
- 1% reduced fat milk: Can use skim milk as well
- unsalted butter
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- large eggs
- salt
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- water
- Apricot nectar: I used Jumex
- fresh apricots: pitted and halved
- heavy cream
- unflavored powdered gelatin
- non fat greek yogurt: Friendly farms from Aldi’s is the best by far.
Success Tips and tricks behind this cream cake
- This can be made ahead of time: Wrap cooled sponge cake layers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
- Prepare the syrup and apricot puree, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To bring the eggs to room temperature, either set them out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge them (in shell) in a bowl of lukewarm water for 5 minutes. The eggs will beat to a greater volume.
- Decorate your cake like a pro by adding sliced apricots and white chocolate curls on top. Microwave a block of white chocolate on low in 15 second intervals, until barely softened, but not warmed. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the chocolate into curls.
- When preparing the apricot cream, instead of microwaving the gelatin, you can heat 1 inch of water in a small skillet over medium-low heat until the gelatin is dissolved.
- When making the syrup, you can use 3 tbsp of white rum as a substitute for the almond extract mixture.
How to make the low calorie honey apricot cream cake
This cake is somewhat labor intensive, so plan ahead if you want to take a stab at it! Plan for about 2 hours of your time!
GOlden sponge cake
- Prepare pans and oven: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line two 9 inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- Heat butter and milk: in a small saucepan, heat butter until just melted.
- Sift dry ingredients: Mix flour and baking powder together. Sift onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Whisk all ingredients: Whisk egg, sugar, salt and vanilla extract by hand. Next, with electric mixer, beat until light in color and fluffy. Whisk in warm milk mixture and flour mixture until combine.
- Divide batter between cake pans: Pour batter evenly into both cake pans.
- Bake: Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until tops are golden or cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool and invert: cool for 10 minutes in pan, run a knife around the cake, invert onto cooling racks to cool completely.
Syrup
- Combine sugar and water: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water until sugar is dissolved.
- Put in heatproof bowl: Add to heat proof bowl and cool for 15 minutes. Add in vanilla extract and almond extract mixture. Set aside.
Apricot puree
- Combine ingredients: In a large pot, combine the apricots, sugar, apricot nectar and honey. Bring to a boil and then cover. Simmer on low or until apricots are disintegrated (25-30 minutes).
- Cool mixture: Transfer to a bowl and cool for 15 minutes.
- With a food processer: Process apricot mixture until smooth, set aside until it reaches room temperature.
Apricot cream
- Prepare cream: In a heat proof bowl, combine the rest of the apricot nectar and gelatin. Microwave for 25 seconds to just get the gelatin to dissolve. Whisk in one cup of puree to cool gelatin and then add mixture to remaining puree.
- Heavy cream and yogurt: In a bowl, add in heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Next, fold in yogurt. Last, fold the yogurt-cream mixture into the apricot mixture with a whisk.
See the video below on how to prepare the honey apricot puree and cream!
Assembly of the cream cake
This cake is very fun and easy to assemble!
First, coat the bottom and sides of the 10 inch springform pan with non stick spray. Using a serrated knife trim off the tops of each cake layer so they are flat. Brush each layer of cake with the prepared syrup mixture.
Second, place one layer in the center of the prepared pan. Pour half of the apricot cream mixture over the layer. Be sure to use an off set spatula to spread the apricot cream over the top and down the sides of the cake. Repeat the same steps with the next layer of cake. The pan should be full, but not overflowing.
Third, refrigerate the cake for an hour so the apricot cream is firm. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and continue chilling for up to 7 hours or overnight.
Lastly, thrown some sliced apricots on top along with white chocolate curls and you have yourself one amazing low calorie honey apricot cream cake!
Other cake recipes
Low calorie honey apricot cream cake
A silky smooth bavarian-style honey apricot cream that envelopes a golden sponge cake. The texture is like a delicate mousse.
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer
- Food processor
- 10 in spring form cake pan
- Two 9 in round cake pans
- Silicon Spatula
- 1 large pot
- 1 small saucepan
- Whisk
- Sifter
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Other mixing bowls
- Wire rack
- Off set spatula
Ingredients
Golden Sponge cake
- ½ cup 1% milk
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Syrup
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Honey Apricot puree
- 2 lbs apricots
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup apricot nectar
Apricot Cream
- ½ cup apricot nectar
- 4½ tsp gelatin powdered, 2 packets
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup nonfat greek yogurt
Instructions
Golden Sponge cake
- Butter the bottoms and sides of two 9 inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Combine milk and 4 tbsp of unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the butter is just melted. Set the pan aside.
- Stir flour and baking powder together, then sift onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl by hand to combine, and then whisk in the salt. Whisk in sugar and vanilla extract. Then, using a hand held mixer, whip the mixture on medium-high speed until lighter in color and very light and fluffy in texture (about 5 minutes).
- Gently whisk in the warm milk mixture by hand. Add in the flour mixture in 4 additions, lifting the parchment paper to help you sprinkle it in. Use the whisk to fold the flour into the liquid, gently whisking to incorporate each time. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth tops.
- Bake in the center of the oven until golden on top and a cake tester comes out clean (15-17 minutes). Let cool in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes.
- Run a sharp knife around the layers to loosen, then invert the pans onto the racks.
- Immediately turn the layers over so they cool with the paper on the bottom. Let cool completely.
Syrup
- Combine ⅓ cup of water with ¼ cup sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a small heat proof bowl and cool for 15 minutes. Stir in water-almond extract mixture and vanilla. Set aside.
Honey Apricot Puree
- Combine apricots (peeled and pitted), 1 cup of sugar, ½ cup of apricot nectar and ¼ cup of honey in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 25-30 minutes. Stirring occasionally (apricots should be completely disintegrated). Let it cool for 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Pour into large bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
Apricot cream
- Pour the remaining ½ cup of apricot nectar into a small heat proof bowl and sprinkle with the powdered gelatin; let the gelatin stand for 3 minutes to soften.
- Microwave uncovered on high for about 20-40 seconds (I did 25 seconds) until the gelatin is dissolved but the liquid is not boiling.
- Whisk in 1 cup of the Honey apricot puree into the dissolved gelatin to cool it, then whisk that mixture into the remaining puree.
- Beat the heavy cream with an electric mixture until stiff peaks form. Fold in yogurt, Gently fold in the yogurt cream into the honey apricot mixture with a whisk.
Assembly of the cake
- Coat the bottom and sides of the 10 in spring form pan with non stick cooking spray.
- Using a large serrated knife, trim off the very top of each cake layer so the tops are flat.
- Brush the top of each layer with half of the reserved syrup. Place one layer in the center of the prepared spring form pan. Pour half the the honey apricot cream over the layer; use an offset spatula to spread the cream over the top and down the sides of the cake.
- Quickly center the second layer on top. Pour the remaining cream over the cake until it reaches the top of the pan; you may have a little left. Use the offset spatula to spread the cream evenly over the top. The pan should be very full, but not overflowing.
- Refrigerate the cake until the honey apricot cream is firm (1 hour). Loosely cover with plastic wrap and continue chilling until completely set (7 hours).
- Run a thin paring knife between the cake and the side of the pan to loosen. Remove the side of the pan. Use 2 wide sturdy spatulas to slide the cake off the pan bottom onto a serving plate.
- To smooth any lines on the sides of the cake with the back of a spoon, if desired. Garnish the top with apricot wedges and white chocolate curls. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 14peopleCalories: 356kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 7gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 148mgPotassium: 270mgFiber: 2gSugar: 47gVitamin A: 1910IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Fun fact of the day!
The sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her hands in jelly! Man, I love this movie! The sounds effects of the 80’s!
What a refreshing summer treat!!! It was light and fluffy fruity joy in the mouth! I lOVED the sponge cake – that texture was a great combination with the mouse. YUMMY!!!