Apricot Cornmeal Cakes
Make the most of summer stone fruit. Apricot Cornmeal Cakes, made with cornmeal cake batter, is a luxurious yet homey treat for any occasion.
Cake. The word and the associations make me smile.
Cake means celebration. Cake means love. Cake means someone specifically spent time on you.
I often sit around trying to dream up a reason to make cake. Sometimes it’s a small family milestone or a handful of friends coming over on a week night. Any miniscule excuse to revel in life and sugar will do.
I’ve been known to turn a non-occasion into an ordeal, just so I can make a fancy cake.
What can I say? Cake makes me giddy.
I have a few tried-and-true cake recipes that stand as a base for all my cake variations. One of which is a classic cornmeal cake. I’ve turned my cornmeal cake recipe into a lot of things over the years, but today it’s become an apricot cake.
Tah-dah!
A goal of mine is to always provide balance and contrast to every dish. I happen to think of apricots as a dainty fruit, so it seemed only right to combine them with this hearty corn meal cake. The marriage of the delicate, petite apricots and the rustic cake is a match made in heaven.
This sweet Apricot Cornmeal Cakes recipe is a wonderful addition to any celebration, be it a July 4th picnic or an elegant summer soiree.
More Fruity Treats:
Blueberry White Chocolate Blondies
4th of July Cocktail Cooler Popsicles ~ Endless Simmer
Nectarine Up-Side-Down Cake ~ Add A Pinch
Berry Cheesecake Bars ~ Epicurean Mom
Apricot Cornmeal Cakes
Ingredients
- 7 small ripe apricots cut into 8 slices each
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon divided
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice + 1/4 teaspoon divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 12-14 paper liners. Using the electric mixer, cream 1 cup of butter and 1 cup sugar until extremely light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Don't rush this!
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat in. Scrape the bowl with a spatula. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and 2 tsp. of five spice.
- With the mixer running, slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until just combine. Do not over mix.
- Scoop the batter into 12-14 muffin liners with a 1/4-cup scoop. Place 4 apricot slices in a pinwheel pattern on the top of each mini cornmeal cake.
- Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice, then sprinkle over the apricot cakes. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Making this recipe? Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!
Omg—YUM.
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Sommer, I wanted to let you know how much my husband and I love this recipe. I blogged my adaptation of it, with appropriate credit to you, of course. Your idea of adding Chinese Five-Spice Powder is just genius!
daisy
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Summer, I’m going to make these this week. The idea of apricots and five-spice powder is so intriguing. Can’t wait to taste one!
These look so pretty and perfect for entertaining! I think I’ll make them for a baby shower I’m hosting soon!
Yum these are so cute! Even though they are called “cakes” I think they would be perfect for a saturday morning breakfast ;)
This recipe from Bon Appetit is fabulous. Might want to site your work jsut in case they come after you ;) gorgeous photography!
Such pretty little muffins! Mmmm!
These look great! Has anyone tried these with all purpose gluten-free flour? I am always looking for truly good-tasting, GF recipes with normal as possible texture. The cornmeal in these might just hide the slight grittiness inherent in baking with GF flour.
These guys look crazy good! And now I want a green stand mixer too.
Lovely sommer! This looks so delicious! I LOVE apricots!
That looks wonderful. I would never think of combining appricot and corn.
Cake makes me smile too :) I have a cornmeal cake recipe that I use quite often for brunch, and I love the idea of pairing it with apricots. These sound delicious, and they look so pretty!
You won’t believe this but I actually pinned this in my “Baked Breakfast” board. I know it’s a dessert, but it just looks like it would be perfect for breakfast. Well, honestly, it would be perfect any time of day. Great recipe!
Oh my gosh, these are looking amazing. I am surely gng to try it !
Oooh – I’m so intrigued by the 5-spice here, what a great twist! A spicy perspective, indeed. :-)
love these! I am a sucker for anything apricot! Happy 4th
Hey Sommer! This recipe sounds so good! We’ll have to try it soon. Love your website- beautiful photography and great content. We’ll be back!
Very pretty cupcakes/muffins. I’m such a fan of apricots…yum!
I’m not sure what I like more… the fresh fruit muffins or that green stand mixer!! Both are beautiful!
These are so pretty and they sound fabulous! They do seem like summer! The texture must be nice and hearty and the apricots would lend such a great tart/sweet note. Never tried chinese five spice in cake but I look forward to giving it a try! Do you ever make these with bluberries- I think that would be tasty, too. Can”t wait to try these!
I think everyday is a good day for cake and these are the perfect way to celebrate life’s little pleasures.
Such a great contrast in flavors and sweet/savory. And perfect timing because we’re getting so many apricots in the market right now!
These look incredible Sommer, perfect for the summer. And I can’t get enough of the color of your mixer!
I’ve pinned these beauties so I don’t lose them. I feel like I can taste them from here.
oh my gosh, the texture sounds OUT of this world! and they’re so beautiful!
One of my favorite quotes about cake is “Cake is for life, not just for birthdays.” I love apricots and they sound like the perfect topping for your cornmeal cake!
I need to try a cornmeal cake, it looks fabulous.
Fabulous! I love fresh apricots… and a simple cake like this is a great way to show the off.
=) So true. These are gorgeous – perfect little pinwheels!
I share your excitement over cake and love that you used cornmeal. I’ve never baked with apricots and could see all the flavors your put in this recipe melding into one delicious treat! I’d definitely eat these like muffins for breakfast!
Sommer, these are so pretty, and I love the addition of five spice powder, a nice compliment to the apricots. I bet the cornmeal adds some nice texture to these little cakes too.
These look so lovely!