Apricot Upside Streusel Cake

There are certain summer produce items that are so seasonal, and so delicious, that I feel I have to pay homage to them, at least once, every summer in some recipe.

I was walking through the Santa Monica farmers a week or two ago, and saw a sign at a booth that said “last Blenheim’s of the year”. Oh no!  I had let Blenheim apricot season slip away from me. And now here I was, faced with my last chance.

Now, I’m not a particularly big fan of apricots, at least of eating the fruit out of hand, but there’s something special about Blenheim’s – a California heirloom variety, especially baked into a tart (it’s one of my favorite fruit for my beloved frangipane tarts), muffins or a kugel. In fact, for this cake, a traditional kugel was my starting point, but I was looking to (excuse the expression) kick it up a notch- a moister, richer kugel-like cake, with those great juices running down its sides, and a streusel interior, rather than topping.

Hope you enjoy- oh, if you can’t find any more Blenheim apricots, this would work great with nectarines or peaches, too. They’ll still be around for a few more weeks.

This cake is best enjoyed the same day, but still good for several days after baking.

Apricot Upside Down Cake

Upside Down Apricot Streusel Cake

For the topping:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cups brown sugar
• 9-10 apricots, cut in half

For the streusel:

• 3 tablespoons walnuts, lightly toasted
  
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

For the cake:

• 4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping:

1. Whip butter and brown sugar together, then spread across the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan.
2. Place the halved apricots on top of the sugar/butter mixture.

For the streusel:

1. Stir together the first 6 ingredients in a medium sized bowls, then work in the cubes of butter with the tips of your fingers, until the mixture is crumbly, and the size of small peas.

For the cake:

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after both additions for about 20 seconds.
4. Add one third of the flour mixture, then add one half of the sour cream. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture and sour cream, ending with the last one third of the flour mixture.
5. Spread the half of the cake batter gently over the apricots in the pan. Then sprinkle the streusel over it. Then spread the other half over the streusel.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out, mostly clean, with only a couple of crumbs clinging to it. Turn the pan upside down over a rimmed plate – gently running an offset spatula around the perimeter of the cake, if it does not release easily. Let it cool down a bit, but it’s best served while still warm.