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Apricot Cake with Fresh Apricots and Almonds Recipe

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4.3 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Sara
  • Total Time: 3 hours including cooling
  • Yield: 16 servings

Description

This Apricot Cake made with fresh apricots is a tender, moist dessert featuring a fragrant blend of cardamom, almond, and vanilla extracts. The cake is enriched with full-fat sour cream and studded with fresh apricots on top, sprinkled with sliced almonds for a delightful crunch. Perfect for spring and summer, this beautifully baked cake showcases the natural sweetness and slight tartness of fresh apricots in a delicate crumb.

Ingredients

Fresh Apricot Puree

  • 4-5 apricots (240 grams total, halved, quartered and pureed)

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature (65-68°F)
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature (65-68°F)
  • 3/4 cup (180 grams) full-fat sour cream

Topping

  • 4-5 apricots, halved and brushed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, skin on

Instructions

  1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the cake evenly.
  2. Prep the Cake Pan: Butter and flour the sides and bottom of a springform pan, then line the bottom with a 9-inch round piece of parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  3. Make Apricot Puree: Wash, halve, and quarter apricots, then puree in a mini food processor until smooth, yielding about 212 grams or just under 1 cup. Set aside.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt for 30 seconds to ensure even mixing.
  5. Beat Eggs: Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork or whisk.
  6. Cream Butter and Sugar: In your stand mixer bowl, add the butter, sugar, cardamom, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat on low for 20 seconds, then increase to medium and cream until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl sides.
  7. Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating after each until fully incorporated.
  8. Add Flour and Sour Cream: Add half the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Add all the sour cream and beat on medium until incorporated. Add remaining flour and mix just until combined. Scrape down the bowl.
  9. Incorporate Apricot Puree: Add the apricot puree and mix on medium until batter turns a light orange color and fully combined.
  10. Final Mixing and Scraping: Scrape sides and bottom of bowl again to mix all ingredients thoroughly, ensuring no pockets of unmixed batter remain.
  11. Pour Batter into Pan: Transfer batter into prepared springform pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula for an even surface.
  12. Prepare Apricot Topping: Halve apricots, brush cut sides lightly with lemon juice to prevent browning, and arrange them cut side up around the cake’s edge, placing one apricot half in the center. Avoid overcrowding to allow cake rising space.
  13. Add Almonds: Sprinkle sliced almonds over the batter, avoiding placing them directly on apricots.
  14. Bake: Bake for 55-65 minutes until the cake top is golden brown, a center touch no longer jiggles, and a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean with no wet batter. Check internal temperature; it should read 205°F.
  15. Cool the Cake: Remove cake from oven. Place pan on a wire rack, run an offset spatula around edges to loosen the cake, and let cool 15 minutes. Remove springform ring and allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.
  16. Storage: Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 day due to fresh apricot topping. For longer storage, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • Using room temperature butter and eggs ensures smoother batter and better cake texture.
  • Lemon juice on apricot halves prevents browning and keeps them visually appealing.
  • Do not overcrowd apricot halves on top, so the cake can rise properly and bake evenly.
  • The internal cake temperature of 205°F guarantees the cake is fully baked without drying out.
  • Store leftover cake in the refrigerator to maintain freshness if not consumed within a day.
  • Pureed apricots measurements can vary slightly; reserve any extra for smoothies or yogurt toppers.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://sarabaking.com/apricot-cake-with-fresh-apricots-and-almonds-recipe/