• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

LA BELLA VITA

The Art of Italian Living

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cooking Classes
  • Culinary Tours

July 22, 2021 By Deborah Dal Fovo 3 Comments

Apricot Almond Cake
Torta di Mandorle e Albicocche

apricot almond cake

Funny how what goes around comes around…even in cake making! This Apricot Almond Cake has its origins decades ago when I was living in the countryside of Tuscany and the fruit trees on our property had an unexpected bumper crop one year and I found myself with bushels of apricots to make use of. Some were preserved in vanilla syrup, like I shared on my previous post. Others were transformed into shiny jams, luscious tarts, a lovely liqueur and more. But lastly, I decided to make this apricot and almond cake which, at the time, was baked in a loaf pan for a breakfast cake that could be easily frozen for the autumn months. Apricots and almonds make one of my favorite flavor combinations, so it was a no brainer that a cake-like almond bread filled with bits of sweet, intensely flavored apricots would be a welcome treat. It was a good call and, after a little experimentation, this recipe was created and was a great success. So, I filed away my hand-scribbled recipe and it came with me when we moved from Italy to California but was never used again…until now. 

apricot almond cake on cake server

Call it déjà vu but, this year, I had the opportunity to pick my own apricots at a fruit farm in California and found myself, again, with too many apricots (a lucky problem) and the same dilemma as decades earlier of what to do with them (must be my apricot karma : ). I dug out my decades-old recipe, reworked it into this glorious cake version and am thrilled with the results. It’s now a regal looking apricot almond cake with golden crown of slivered almonds outside and surprise inside of moist almond cake studded with bright, jewel-like pieces of apricots. The combination of flavors is irresistible in a not-too-sweet cake that can double for a breakfast loaf pan cake like my original version.  

Inside view of apricot almond cake studded with fruit

This cake recipe works well with other fruits too. The important thing is to cut the ripe-yet-firm fruit into small dice so the cake is studded with little bits of lovely fruit that don’t sink to the bottom during baking. A light toss in flour helps suspend the fruit in the batter too. Peaches and plums are lovely summer substitutes, as are figs, and berries. Again, any fruit that pairs well with the aromatic, sensual flavor of almonds (most fruits do). The making of the cake is rather simple and a one-bowl process (or two if you count the one to mix the flour with leavening agents). I usually warm the milk and add the butter to it while I measure out other ingredients so the butter starts to melt and mellow in the milk. This time around I use almond milk that adds to the nutty flavor of the cake, but whole milk works well too. The addition of either almond extract (for more almond flavor) or vanilla is up to you and my instinctive go-to sugar is cane sugar instead of white, but you can use either with success. Cane sugar is less refined and adds a caramel flavor to the cake but needs more time and patience to melt in the liquids.

Apricot almond cake slice on plate

A word about almond flour, a very important ingredient in this recipe. Use best-quality store bought or make your own like I do. I blanch raw almonds in boiling water for a minute then drain and slip the skins off using my fingers before spreading on a baking sheet and drying in a 350F/180C oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Once the almonds are cool, I toss them in a food processor with a couple tablespoons of the sugar from the recipe and pulse until finely ground to my desired consistency without over processing that would draw out unwanted nut oils. Voila’…almond flour! This is added to the liquid ingredients without fear of over mixing since there are no glutens to overdevelop. Adding the all-purpose flour is another story and should be added by folding gently into the batter until just incorporated but without over working the glutens that results in a tough, rubbery cake. For a gluten-free cake, simply substitute gluten-free flour for the all-purpose or make you own with a combination of oat flour, brown rice flour, tapioca flour.

Close up of apricot almond cake on plate

The moral of this post is that some things in life are worth keeping to make even better in time, and I think this cake is one of those! I hope you make it and think of me under apricot trees in both Tuscany and California…after all, it seems to be my destiny.

APRICOT ALMOND CAKE – Torta di Mandorle e Albicocche
{recipe}

This regal looking apricot almond cake boasts a golden crown of slivered almonds outside and surprise inside of moist crumb studded with bright jewel-like bits of ripe apricots. Though simple to make in one bowl, the results are show-stopping and satisfying in a delectable cake recipe that is a keeper for endless summers to come.  

Cake Batter:
2 cups/200g/7 ounces almond flour (or 200g/7ounces blanched almonds ground finely with 2 tablespoons of the sugar)
2 cups/240g unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more to flour pan if needed
1 teaspoon/4g baking powder
¼ teaspoon/1.2g baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 cup/240g almond milk (or whole milk), warm
4 tablespoons/57g softened unsalted butter, plus more to grease pan
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup/200g cane sugar (or granulated)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup/200 diced apricots
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour to toss apricots

Topping:
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons/20g slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C and position rack in center. 

Butter an 8-inch/20cm x 3-inch/7.6cm round cake pan then line sides and bottom with parchment paper or dust with flour, tapping out excess. Alternatively, you can use an 11 x 4 x 3 inch loaf pan instead.  

Measure the almond flour (if store bought) or pulse the blanched almonds in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the sugar until finely ground. In a separate bowl, blend together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. Set flours aside.

Place the warm milk, softened butter, and extract in a mixing bowl and whisk until butter is melted. Add the sugar gradually while whisking then beat well until sugar has melted. Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating until thick and creamy. Sprinkle the almond flour into the batter and stir well to combine.

Add the all-purpose flour mixture to the batter, folding in gently with a spatula just until smoothly incorporated but without overworking. 

Toss the diced apricots with 2 tablespoons flour to coat uniformly. This will ­prevent the apricots from sinking to the bottom of the cake when baked. Fold the apricots into the batter until evenly distributed.

Pour the batter into prepared pan and level surface. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over top then scatter the slivered almonds around the edge to form a decorative border.   

Place the cake pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in center of hot oven for 55 to 60 minutes until golden and tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cake cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Serve cut into slices as a breakfast cake, teatime cake or dessert.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Uncategorized

DON’T MISS A POST!

Get posts/recipes by email.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Barbara says

    February 25, 2022 at 4:00 pm

    Can you use dried apricots?

    Reply
    • Deborah Dal Fovo says

      May 7, 2022 at 10:23 am

      Barbara, you can certainly try using dried apricots. I would cut them into 1/4-inch pieces and either choose soft ones or soak in water or liqueur until softened. Otherwise try jarred fruit in syrup too. Most any fresh fruit can be used too: berries, plums, peaches etc. Let me know what you do and how it comes out!

      Reply
  2. Sandra says

    May 7, 2022 at 11:00 am

    I can’t wait, two my favorites, almonds and apricots . Thank you for this recipe.
    Happy Mother’s Day to you as well

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Footer

Menu:

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cooking Classes
  • Culinary Tours

Most recent Instagrams:

About last night…I had the immense honor of repr About last night…I had the immense honor of representing Italian cuisine 🇮🇹 for the opening reception of prestigious Italian kitchen appliance brand @bertazzoni_official at their gorgeous new showroom in San Francisco. My menu featured enogastronomic delicacies from the company’s home region of Emilia Romagna like @parmigianoreggiano , @acetobalsamicomodena , mortadella, @prosciuttodiparma_it and paired regional wines. I was too busy to snap many photos, but did manage a few (scroll to view).

A big ‘grazie mille’ goes out to Alana and Tammy at @mixedgreenseventdesign , proprietors and staff at @purcellmurray , and my amazing staff especially arancini queen @beatrice.bmerry ; ). No rest for the weary today though…I’m back in the kitchen preparing more goodies for another event tomorrow. #cheflife

#Italianchef #privatechef #eventcatering #italian #italiancuisine #cucinaitaliana #foodislove #cookingbydesign #italiandesign #italyincalifornia #sanfrancisco #kitchendesign #kitchenappliances #ilovemyjob
Did someone say polenta? A recent query of your fa Did someone say polenta? A recent query of your favorites comfort foods proved that polenta is definitely at the top of the list. Just hearing the name evokes visions of my childhood with daddy conjuring up his Trentino roots by stirring a big caldron of bubbling cornmeal mush (the Italian ‘polenta sounds better : ) with a long wooden  paddle…the revered (and feared) polenta stick. This big stick with flat end was used to continually fold and turn the mixture of yellow corn meal and water over heat until it slowly cooked and thickened into creamy, ethereal polenta. 

After 40 plus minutes of hard work by my father to make perfect polenta like his mamma taught him (she was a strong woman), he would turn the pot of polenta upside down (with appropriate caution and aplomb)and tip the soft-yet-set polenta cake onto a pristine linen covered board on the dinner table. Voila’! Dinner is served to wide eyed, hungry girls anticipating this heavenly, yellow mush cut into slices and topped with sausage, fontina, braised pork shank, or other traditional Alpine accompaniments that my mother prepared to a “T” as her mother-in-law did. 

I served my polenta soft and spooned out of the pot then topped with rustic pork ragu’. Mmmmm, homemade comfort on a fork 💛. For all you polentoni (polenta lovers) out there, buon appetito!

#italianchef #italiancooking #italiancuisine #alpinecooking #trentino #trentinoaltoadige #dolomites #polenta #comfortfood #polentoni #rusticfood #homecooking #madewithlove #foodislove #cookthemountain #foodmemories #italiansdoeatbetter
. 💚 RISI E BISI ~ VENETIAN RICE AND PEAS 💚 .

💚 RISI E BISI ~ VENETIAN RICE AND PEAS 💚

This seasonal Venetian dish was historically served to the Doge every year on April 25th, the feast of St. Mark and patron saint of the city. The name, ‘Risi e bisi’, in local dialect means rice and peas and is traditionally made with the same amount of sweet springtime peas as grains of rice with enough broth to create its signature consistency midway between risotto and a thick soup. I added some sausage to make it extra tasty 😋 but it’s also made without or with a bit of pancetta. 

Risi e Bisi is one of my favorite comfort foods…perhaps for its brothy reassurance or the fond childhood memories I have of my Nonna’s cooking and me eating it 💚💚. 
What’s your favorite comfort food?

#italianchef #italiancooking #italiancuisine #cookitalian #venice #venetiancuisine #rice #risiebisi #peas #springtime #spring #springcooking #Springtimecooking #comfortfood #nonnaskitchen #nonnasitaliankitchen #risotto #soup #zuppa
‘Fregula Sarda ai Frutti di Mare’ {Sardinian F ‘Fregula Sarda ai Frutti di Mare’ {Sardinian Fregola Pasta with Fruits of the Sea} was an excellent idea for Holy Saturday dinner last weekend 😋. These tiny semola pasta pearls are cooked using the risotto method of adding hot seafood broth a little at a time until plump, tender, and bursting with flavor. I added clams, calamari rings, shrimp for a 'godurioso’ {very pleasurable} one-pan meal.

#italianchef #italiancooking #sardegna #sardinia #fregola #seafood #fish #pasta #pastapower #pastalove #semolapasta #cookitalian #cucinasarda
🕊Buona Pasqua~Happy Easter🕊There’s no bett 🕊Buona Pasqua~Happy Easter🕊There’s no better way to wish you 
Happy Easter than by sharing my Neapolitan Pastiera. This heavenly dessert tart is a sweet, buttery short crust pastry with a creamy filling of cooked wheat berries (I used pearled barley), ricotta, eggs, sugar, candied orange + citron peel, and orange blossom water. 7 pastry strips crisscross the surface by tradition creating diamond shapes before being baked to a deep golden brown and dusted with powdered sugar. Each bite is an ethereal experience 🥰. 
Have a blessed and delicious day 🙏!
🕊Only one week until Pasqua 🐣and I’ve got 🕊Only one week until Pasqua 🐣and I’ve got a special dish for your Easter feast! My Torta Salata Pasquale ~ Savory Easter Tart is a modern riff on the traditional Torta Pasqualina from Genova. Instead of the sky-high oil crust with greens, ricotta and whole eggs, I created an open tart filled with neat layers of savory spinach, ricotta, fontina cheese, bits of ham, and creamy egg custard in flaky butter crust shell adorned with decorative beccucci (beak) border. 
🐣
This tart was inspired both by one I spied in a gourmet shop window in Milan and the Torte di Pepe of Camaiore that I enjoy every year during my home-away-from-home visits. 
🐣
Delicious as an appetizer for Easter lunch or main course for Pasquetta picnic (Monday after Easter)…or any Spring celebration for that matter. This tart can be eaten warm with fork and knife as an ethereal delicacy or at room temperature as a pickup slice to eat sans silverware. 

I hope you make and enjoy my tart for your Easter/Spring celebration. You can find the recipe on my blog by tapping the link in my bio or visiting: http://www.theartofitalianliving.com/savory-easter-tart-recipe/

Buona Pasqua from my Italian kitchen to yours 💚🕊
Follow on Instagram

Stay Connected:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

© 2016-2020 Deborah Dal Fovo, La Bella Vita - The Art of Italian Living. All rights reserved.

 

Loading Comments...