Apricot and Pistachio Upside Down Cake

The only thing wrong with winter is that you miss out on all that lovely stone fruit. Sure you can buy the canned variety but they lack the spark you get with fresh fruit. Apricots especially seem to be a pale imitation of there fresh counterparts. So while in summer I can make an Apricot Upside Down Cake without any additions, this winter version using canned Apricots has a few twists to impart some more interest to an otherwise dull flavoured fruit.

For fragrance, Orange Blossom water has been added to the batter as well as slivered pistachios to give it a middle eastern touch.

Apricot and Pistachio Upside Down Cake

150 grams brown sugar
75 grams butter
canned apricots, drained
Cake
250 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
180 grams caster sugar
200 grams melted butter, cooled
40 grams slivered pistachio
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1-2 teaspoons Orange Blossom Water
80mls milk, approx

Make the topping:

Place the butter and sugar into a small saucepan and cook over a low heat until the butter has melted and sugar has dissolved

Pour this into a prepared pan - I used a loaf tin but you use a 20cm/8inch cake tin instead.

Arrange the apricot halves neatly over the surface - canned apricots seem to shrink a lot more when cooking so be warned, make sure you pack them in.

Make the cake:

Sift the plain flour with the baking powder and place into a bowl. Add the caster sugar, eggs, Orange flower water, cooled butter and pistachios and beat, adding enough milk to create a spoonable batter.

Spread the batter carefully over the apricots and then level off the surface with a palette knife.

Bake in a preheated 160°C/320°F until golden and cooked through. If you find the surface is browning too quickly, cover with the cake pan with foil.

Once done, let it sit in the pan for a few minutes before turning out onto your serving plate.



You could also add the orange blossom water to the topping or maybe serve it with some orange blossom flavoured thick yoghurt.


Inside you have that lovely golden buttery cake, studded with those bring green slivers of pistachio. A warming treat for a cold day

Other ideas for Apricots and Pistachio:



Croissant and Apricot Butter Puddings
Apricot Brioche Breakfast Plait
Apricot Almond Oatmeal Cookies
Pistachio and White Chocolate Cupcakes