Perok (Armenian Apricot Jam Cake)

October 14: National Dessert Day 

A culinary club friend told us about an Armenian apricot jam cake recipe that was circulating on the Internet during the height of the pandemic. Well, our humble blog just did not catch on the food trend right away. We eventually tried a different recipe and finally posted it here for National Dessert Day. We liked the apricot jam flavor over the crusty cake, and the cute criss-cross topping made this a unique looking dessert. It is never too late to try a food trend, especially if it is delicious and appropriate on National Dessert Day.

Recipe
(Adapted from Aashpazi.com)

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs, divided use
  • 1 cup sugar, granulated white
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 5 ¼ cups flour, all purpose
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 1 cup apricot jam or marmalade

Directions

Beat three eggs until frothy. Mix in the sugar and continue beating until pale. Add the softened butter and mix until smooth. Gradually add the flour and cardamom powder.

Mix until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface and gently knead into a ball. Roll out into an oblong shape and divide into three parts. Press one part into a lightly floured baking pan (10×10 inches or 9×13 inches).

Stir the apricot jam or marmalade until smooth and spread it over the crust. Set aside. Use the second part of the dough and roll into long strips. Place them over the jam/marmalade in a diagonal direction.

Use the last and third part of the dough and roll into long strips. Place them over the other diagonal strips to make a criss-cross pattern on top of the cake. Beat the last egg and brush over the strips. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Slice into squares. Serve.

Notes