The first appearance of apricots at the market signals the start of that lovely, leisurely slide into stone fruit season, and boy am I glad. After the hard and unforgiving root vegetables of winter and the optimistically crunchy peas of spring, I’m ready for something soft and ripe. Something that gives gently when you bite into it, and generously drips juice down your chin, leaving many a-ruined shirt in its wake. Armed with a Tide pen, this ain’t my first rodeo. As far as stone fruits go, apricots are a bit tangier than most; but as someone who enjoys things with a bit of a bite, apricots are one of my favorite treats this time of year. Since they refuse to firmly commit to sweet or sour, I love pairing them with a little bit of both, and that’s what’s waiting for you in this very tasty apricot almond cake with a bit of pistachio.
The apricot almond cake itself is made up of a mix of normal flour and almond flour, so you get the structure of a “normal” cake with the delicious nutty sweetness of almond. There’s also Greek yogurt in the cake, which gives it a little tang and keeps it extra moist, along with delicious flavorings like vanilla, lemon zest, and pistachios (my favorite nut of all, if you couldn’t already tell 😬).
While the ingredient list is longer than google’s preferred limit of 5 (🙄), it’s very easy to throw together and is perfect for one of those lazy nights where you want a really good cake but don’t want to fret about making icing or whipping egg whites or any of that extra-frills baggage. Nope, this is a just a good ol’ fashioned cake. It’s the kind your aunt might have on hand when you were a kid, and she and your mom had coffee and talked while they ployed you with cake to keep you occupied. In short—it goes very well with hot morning beverages. Or cold boozy nighttime ones. (Just depends on the aunt, I suppose).
Enjoy, my friends!!
Apricot and Almond Cake with Pistachio
This apricot almond cake has olive oil, lemon zest, and deliciously sweet pistachios for an incredibly flavorful and beautiful dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour/meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 or 4 apricots (about 5 or 6 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon melted butter mixed with 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
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In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.
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Wash and dry the apricots, cut them in half, and remove and disgard the pits, keeping the apricot halves.
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In a small bowl, toss together the sliced almonds and the melted butter mixture until the almonds are coated. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until lightened in color and foamy on top, about 2 minutes.
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Add the sugar and beat for 30 seconds more, then add the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until combined.
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Add the flour mixture and the pistachios (reserving a tablespoon of pistachios for sprinkling on top) and stir until just combined. Pour batter into pan, then sprinkle with the remaining pistachios and the sliced almond mixture. Place the apricots on top of the cake, cut side up, and place the pan in the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
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Allow to cool to warm before slicing and serving. Will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
