Apricot Plumcake

17/11/2023

I can provide you with a delicious recipe for an apricot plumcake. This cake is perfect for a summer breakfast or as a dessert after a light meal. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

200 g fresh apricots (you can also use canned ones if not in season)
180 g all-purpose flour
160 g granulated sugar
3 medium eggs
100 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
60 ml milk
Grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
1 packet baking powder (about 16 g)
A pinch of salt

Preparation

Apricot preparation: Wash the apricots, cut them in half and remove the pit. If you prefer, you can cut them further into smaller wedges.
Batter preparation: In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is light and frothy. Add the cooled melted butter, milk and grated lemon zest, mixing well after each addition.
Dry ingredients: In another bowl, combine the sifted flour with the baking powder and the pinch of salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture, incorporating them gently to avoid lumps.
Adding the apricots: Fold the apricots into the batter, reserving a few to decorate the top of the plumcake before baking.
Pan preparation: Grease and flour a plumcake pan or line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and arrange the reserved apricots on the surface.
Baking: Preheat the oven to 180 °C and bake the plumcake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cooling: Once baked, let the plumcake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack until completely cooled.

Trivia

The name “plumcake” is a bit misleading because, despite the name, it does not necessarily contain plums (“plum” in English). In Italy, the term has become popular to indicate various types of elongated baked goods, often made with fruit or other ingredients.

If you want to add an extra Italian touch to this recipe, you could add a handful of finely chopped almonds or a splash of amaretto liqueur to the batter to enhance the flavor of the apricots.