Cardamom Apricot Upside-Down Olive Oil Cake
Rated 4.0 stars by 8 users
Apricots are more of an underdog fruit, which I’ve never really understood, both because of their adorably fuzzy baby-tush softness and also their tart-sweet floral flavor. I particularly like how they cut through the sweetness and richness of a baked good and pair so beautifully with naturally floral spices like cardamom. I’ve put both to work in this lusciously dense, perfectly breakfast-appropriate cake, which you can leave on your counter and enjoy throughout the day as a snack, with your afternoon coffee or tea, or as dessert.
Page 113-114 in TAHINI BABY. Get your copy here 💌
📸 Chris Bernabeo
Ingredients
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4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
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½ cup packed light brown sugar
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½ teaspoon kosher salt
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¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
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12 medium apricots, halved and pitted
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1 cup granulated sugar
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3 cardamom pods crushed, to remove the seeds
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon salt
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½ teaspoon baking soda
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½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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⅓ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
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2 large eggs
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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½ cup whole milk
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2 tablespoons honey, for serving
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Full-fat Greek yogurt or Labaneh, for serving
For the Cardamom Apricot Topping
For the Cake
For Serving
Directions
Make the Topping
Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan with butter.
In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and cardamom. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.
Arrange the apricots cut side down over the bottom of the pan, keeping them as evenly spaced as possible. (This will become the top of the cake, so you want things looking cute when you turn it out.) Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the Cake
In a high-speed blender, combine the granulated sugar and cardamom seeds and blend until fragrant and well combined, about 1 minute. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cardamom sugar, olive oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla.
Add about one-third of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add about one-third of the milk and stir again. Continue alternating until all the dry ingredients and milk have been added.
Spread the batter in an even layer over the apricots and topping and bake for 45-55 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Place a serving platter over the top and very carefully flip to invert the cake, leaving it in the pan. Wait about 1 minute before lifting the pan. If any of the apricots have stuck, just place them back on the cake.
To Serve
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey with 1 tablespoon of warm water. Brush the glaze over the cake and serve warm or at room temperature with dollops of yogurt.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.