8-9 inch (20 – 22.5 cm) cake
This up-side down cake recipe is one of my favourite desserts using apricots rather the traditional pineapple. There are three ways using apricots in this recipe from canned to dried to the fresh apricots. I was looking for fresh apricots this week as it’s the season for the new crop to be arriving. I found some but was disappointed in the quality. They were very large and tasteless then I found quality dried apricots that were delicious.
- 14 oz (400 ml) can or 4 oz (115g) dried or 12 oz (340g) fresh apricots
- 8-inch (20 cm) metal cake pan
- ¼ cup (60 ml) butter
- ½ cup (125 ml) lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) almond slivers, toasted in hot pan
- ½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose unbleached flour
- ½ tsp (2 ml) baking powder
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
- 2 range-free large eggs, separated
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fruit juice if using fresh apricots or water
- ½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
1. If using dried apricots, set aside 12 – 16 uniform fruit. If using canned apricot, drain, reserve juice, halve fruit and discard pit. If using fresh apricots, wash well; halve and discard pit.
2. Place 8 or 9-inch cake pan on low heat; melt butter; sprinkle sugar over melted butter. Arrange apricots, skin side down around the rim of the pan and in the centre. Place nuts between the fruit.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk egg yolks with fruit juice or water until foamy. In electric mixer bowl, beat egg whites as they firm up and slowly sprinkle in sugar until they are stiff and shinny. Fold in yolk mixture alternately with dry ingredients. Cover fruit with batter making sure the batter goes out to the edge and smooth top.
4. Bake cake for 30 – 35 minutes and firm to finger touch. Cool 5 minutes; run table knife around the inner edge to separate the cake from the pan. Place serving plate upside down on the cake and gently flip over onto the serving plate. If any of the apricots are still stuck place them back onto the cake.
