Flourless Apricot-Almond Cake Recipe

Fresh, ripe apricots can be elusive—one day, the farmers market is overflowing with them, and the next, you can only find them dried. While it’s still stone fruit season, make this stunning cake. The sweet almond–based batter brings out the tartness of the apricot halves and stays extra moist in the oven, resulting in a dense cake with an almost pudding-like texture.

Flourless Apricot-Almond Cake

Yield: 1 8×11-inch cake
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Ingredients

5 large eggs, separated
Pinch salt
1/3 cup unbleached organic sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups almond meal
1 pound apricots, halved and pitted
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup powdered sugar, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×11-inch cake or pan with parchment paper.

Place egg yolks in a large bowl, add salt and sugar, and whisk until mixture becomes pale, thick, and fluffy. Whisk in honey, butter, and lemon zest. Stir in almond meal.

Using a mixer or clean whisk, beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into almond meal mixture. Scrape batter into prepared cake pan and arrange apricot halves cut-side-up on top of batter. Sprinkle chopped pistachios in between apricot halves. Bake about 1 hour, until golden brown and cooked through. (The cake is very moist and almost has the consistency of pudding, so a tester inserted into the center of the cake might not come out completely clean.) Let cake cool in pan before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont