Recipe

How To Make An Almond Cake With Honeyed Apricots

By Monica Lazarus at University of Washington

Apricots. This stone fruit pairs especially well with nuts and goes really well with savory lamb dishes. Ever abundant in the summer, apricots taste like honey when fully ripe. The Romans regard them as precious and the poets say they shine like golden velvet.

This particular cake can be easily thrown together for a dinner party. It is also perfect for a quiet date night, or anything at all, really. The cake batter is generously dotted with honey-filled apricots that sink into the cake when fully baked. Add orange blossom water or rose water to lend that Mediterranean feel to the cake.

Almond Cake with Honeyed Apricots

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
  • Total Time: 50-55 minutes
  • Servings: 6-8
  • Medium
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup almond meal
  • 1 tablespoon almond meal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 8 ripe apricots
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper then flour it.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 2

Whisk the almond meal (1 cup + 1 tbs), flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until well incorporated.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 3

Mix all the milk and the almond extract together then set it aside.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 4

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 5

Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 6

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 7

Fill each apricot half with some honey and arrange them cut side up in a circle around the batter.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 8

Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted into the cake, comes out clean.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Step 9

Let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve with some lightly whipped cream and some more honey on the side.

Photo by Suyi Leong

Recipe adapted from Molly Wizenberg.

For more apricot-based recipes, check these out: