Goat Cheese Cake with Apricot and Pistachio

Cheese plate season is upon us. You know the drill... cheddar cubes, summer sausage and a red grape or two. I love a cheese plate, but it gets old after awhile. So I like to mix it up with an unexpected item or two. For a recent trip to the Missouri wineries, I made this delicious Goat Cheese Cake.

Flecked with tart goat cheese, sweet pistachios and sticky apricots, it's a lovely complement to cheese and salami. I'm calling it cake here, but it's not really a dessert thang. More of a savory cake... very European. Look how fancy you are. You're still fancy if you eat the leftovers slathered in butter for breakfast the next day too.

And since the holidays are upon us, I think this is rather fun and delicious take on "fruit cake" as a gift for family and co-workers.  It's a quick mix too, so easy to multiply or make the day of.

Goat Cheese Cake with Apricot and Pistachio
1 cup flour
5-6oz goat cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup dried apricots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, toss together flour, goat cheese, apricots, pistachios and baking powder. In the bowl of a mixer, whisk the eggs until they are pale. Whisk in olive oil, milk, yogurt and salt. Fold flour mixture into the eggs -- only mix until just combined.

Pour into batter into pan and tap a few times to remove air bubbles. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Poke the center with a toothpick and if it comes out clean the cake is done. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.