Apricot Almond Frangipane Cake Recipe
Looking for an impressive cake recipe? Check out the Apricot Almond Frangipane Cake, a delightful and easy-to-make treat with a perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors, and a moist, tender crumb that'll have you craving more.
Ingredients
Pâte Sucrée
- 100 gr unsalted butter - soft, at room temperature
- 50 gr icing sugar - sifted
- 1 large egg - at room temperature
- 40 gr almond meal
- 200 gr plain / all- purpose flour
- 1 pinch fine table salt
Almond Cream Filling
- 150 gr unsalted butter - soft, at room temperature
- 100 gr caster sugar
- 3 large eggs - at room temperature
- 150 gr almond meal
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (optional)
Toppings
- 6 small ripe apricots - about 300 grams
- 2 gr slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam (optional) - to glaze
Instructions
Pâte Sucrée
- Combine soft Butter and Icing Sugar in your stand mixer's bowl. Mix on medium speed until completely smooth.
- Combine the Egg and Almond Meal thoroughly, ensuring to scrape the bowl as necessary. Then, gently incorporate the sifted flour and salt at low speed until a rough dough forms (refer to note 1).
- Shape the mixture into a ball, then sandwich it between two large sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out into a sizable disk, approximately 4mm (1/6 inch) thick. Place it on a flat tray and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Peel away the baking paper and place the pastry into a 24 cm (9.5-inch) tart tin with a removable bottom. Press it into the tart tin's corner to form a precise 90-degree angle (see note 2). Trim any excess using a small pairing knife. Then, let it rest in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour, or, better yet, overnight (or up to 24 hours) for best results.
- Begin by preheating your oven to 160°C (325°F). While it heats, dock the pastry by pricking the bottom with a fork. Pop the pastry in the freezer during this time. Afterward, par-bake it for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottom feels dry to the touch. Finally, let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Almond Cream Filling
- Whether you're using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream the ultra-soft Butter and Sugar at medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it becomes soft, creamy, and noticeably increases in volume.
- Gradually incorporate eggs (ideally pre-whisked in a separate bowl) and, if desired, vanilla paste into the mixture until it reaches a smooth consistency (refer to note 3). Then, introduce almond meal to create a thick, coarse paste.
- Gently spread almond cream evenly over the cooled, partially baked tart pastry, as outlined in note 4.
Toppings
- Begin by washing the apricots, then carefully halve them, removing the stones. Slice each apricot half into three equal parts. Next, gently press each apricot slice into the almond cream, forming two beautiful rings of apricots. To enhance the flavor and presentation, generously sprinkle slivered almonds on top.
- To achieve a perfect result, bake at 160°C/325°F for 40-50 minutes until the almond filling puffs up and attains a beautiful golden hue. Afterwards, let it cool on a wire rack.
- If you'd like, you can enhance the flavor by warming apricot jam in a microwave-safe bowl and then brushing it over both the cooked apricots and the almond filling.