Apricot Almond Tea Cake

I’m probably going to be baking this all summer long and just swapping out the fruit along the way. Apricots for nectarines, for figs, and probably grapes too. I call it a tea cake because you can definitely have tea with it but more so because it’s an all day cake. Not too sweet, light, but still feels special like you!

*Special equipment: one 9” X 1” round tart pan with removable bottom

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

¾ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

½ cup almonds

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup sugar, plus more for top of cake

1 large egg

½ pound apricots, halved and pitted

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter tart pan and sprinkle with flour, tapping out excess.

Pulse flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until almonds are very small pebbles. Should be a grainy texture.

Place ½ cup butter and ½ cup sugar in a large bowl or standing mixer. Mix on high speed and beat until fluffy for about 3 minutes. Add egg, beat until blended. Beat until mixture is pale and fluffy. About 3 minutes.

Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, followed by the olive oil. Beat, scraping sides of bowl when needed, to combine. The mixture will be very thick. Scrape batter into pan in an even layer. Gently press the apricot halves, cut side up, into the batter without pushing too deep. Spaced about ¾ inch from each other. Sprinkle top with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar.

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet so butter doesn’t drip onto the oven floor. Bake, rotating once until light golden on top. About 25-30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and gently remove the outer tart shell. Serve!