Apricot traybake with rosemary, orange and vanilla sugar crust
Apricot season begins in late June, bringing an abundance of fruit to market stalls, often accompanied by a distinctive honeyed fragrance that promises a delightful taste. This straightforward traybake recipe highlights the apricots’ natural sweetness and aroma. The cake is tender and buttery, enriched with soured cream which adds softness and a subtle tang. During baking, the apricots gently sink into the batter. The topping is a delicate sugar crust infused with rosemary, orange zest, and vanilla, providing an aromatic finish.
Ingredients
- 250g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 190g unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 330g plain flour
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 180g soured cream
- 12 medium apricots, halved and stoned
- Pouring cream, to serve
For the rosemary-orange sugar crust:
- 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- Seeds from ½ vanilla pod
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas mark 5. Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm baking tin with greaseproof paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
To prepare the sugar crust, combine the rosemary, orange zest, vanilla seeds, and two tablespoons of caster sugar in a mortar. Pound the mixture until it resembles wet sand and emits a strong fragrance. Alternatively, rub the ingredients together with your fingertips. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of sugar and set aside.
Place the caster sugar and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingertips to release the oils and enhance the aroma. Add the softened butter and beat on medium-high speed for approximately two minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.
Incorporate the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and soured cream to the batter in two or three stages, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl and mix briefly until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Arrange the apricot halves cut side up on top of the batter without overlapping. A neat four-by-six arrangement fits well in a rectangular tray. Avoid pressing the apricots into the batter as they will naturally settle during baking.
Sprinkle the rosemary-orange sugar crust evenly over the apricots. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the traybake from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature accompanied by pouring cream.
