Butter Cake with Apricots and Crumble Recipe
Buttery batter cake with apricot halves nestled inside and a crunchy crumble on top. In Poland, cakes like this are often baked in summer when fruit is cheap and guests drop by “just for a moment”. The flavour is a bit reminiscent of German sheet cakes, but it’s softer and more buttery.
Butter cake with apricots and crumble is the essence of summer captured in a soft, buttery crumb with juicy fruit inside. The apricot halves bake down into little pockets of jammy filling, while the crunchy crumble adds a pleasant contrast. It gently recalls German sheet cakes, but thanks to the higher butter content it’s moister and feels more “homemade” in character.
Chef's tips
The butter for the batter should be really soft – then the mixture will aerate well and the cake will rise nicely. Be careful not to cut the apricots into pieces that are too small, as they will fall apart during baking and you’ll end up with a purée instead of neat halves. Always check the cake with a skewer between the fruit, because around the apricots it can still be wet even when the crumble is already golden.
How to serve
This cake is perfect for spontaneous visits from friends on a July afternoon – just put the tray on the table and serve with a jug of filter coffee. For a weekend breakfast you can serve it with thick plain yogurt and mint leaves. It also pairs well with a light, off-dry sparkling wine for a balcony dinner.
Ingredients
- butter - 180 g
- sugar - 160 g
- egg - 3 piece
- wheat flour - 260 g
- baking powder - 10 g
- milk - 80 ml
- apricots - 350 g
- wheat flour - 100 g
- sugar - 50 g
- butter - 70 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Line a roughly 24×24 cm tin with baking paper.
- Prepare the crumble: put the flour and sugar into a bowl, add cold butter cut into cubes. Rub with your fingers until clumps form. Place the crumble in the fridge.
- Wash and dry the apricots, cut them in half and remove the stones. You can cut larger fruit into quarters.
- Beat the soft butter with the sugar using a mixer for about 3–4 minutes, until the mixture becomes paler and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until well combined.
- Mix the flour with the baking powder, then add it to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, mixing briefly, just until combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and smooth the top.
- Arrange the apricot halves on the batter, cut side up, gently pressing them into the cake.
- Take the crumble out of the fridge and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cake, avoiding the centres of the apricots so they remain visible.
- Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for about 35–40 minutes, until the crumble is golden and a skewer inserted into the cake (between the fruit) comes out dry.
- After baking, remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool before slicing.
Storage
Store the cooled cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, then in the fridge. To refresh, warm slices briefly in a low oven so the crumble regains some crunch and the fruit softens slightly.
