Almond Apricot Cake
Tender and oh-so flavorful, this recipe was inspired by Alice Medrich's almond butter cake in Gluten-Free Flavor Flours (2014, Artisan). If you don't have a processor, use a blender.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds | 570g firm ripe apricots
- 6.34 ounces | 180g stone-ground white rice flour or Thai white rice flour
- 1.8 ounces | 50g almond flour/meal
- 6.34 ounces | 180 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 4 ounces | 113g salted butter, very soft
- ½ cup | 60ml plain yogurt (any percent fat) or slightly watered down Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, or a combo
Instructions
- Ready the oven and pan: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan well with oil or butter, then line the bottom with parchment. (If unavailable, use a removable bottom cake pan or regular high sided cake pan of the same width.)
- Prep the fruit: Halve the fruit, remove the pits, then cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) wedges.
- Make the batter: In a food processor bowl, combine the rice and almond flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a small spoon, scoop the butter and then drop it into the processor as small chunks. Run the processor until the mixture resembles the texture of brown sugar, pausing to scrape the sides as needed, about 1 minute. Add the yogurt, eggs, and extract. Blitz the processor until the batter is very smooth and thick, about 30 seconds.
- Assemble the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, scraping it all from the processor bowl. Smooth the top and shimmy the pan to level the batter. Arrange the fruit wedges on their side in circles over the batter. Let them snuggly sit against each other and press them gently into the batter as you work. Leave about ½ inch (1.24cm) of space between the fruit and the wall of the pan so the batter will rise and encase the fruit without juices leaking out.
- Bake, cool, and eat: Bake the cake for 30 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 325°F and continue baking until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Expect the top to finish deep golden brown. (Total baking time is 45 minutes.)
- Let the cake cool in a rack for 1 hour or so, then run a knife around the edge and release the cake. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
If you do not have salted butter, use unsalted butter and add ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt.
