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Austrian Apricot Cake | Marillenkuchen

A tender Austrian butter cake topped with fresh apricots that soften and turn almost jammy in the oven. It is an easy summer cake that is best made when apricots are at their peak.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 20 slices
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Austrian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g 1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 220 g 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 packet vanilla sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp rum extract or 2 tbsp rum
  • 6 large eggs separated
  • 50 g 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 350 g about 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt divided
  • 1 kg about 7 cups fresh apricots
  • powdered sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 9x13" (23x33 cm) rectangular pan with a sling of parchment paper.
  2. Cut the apricots in half, remove the pits, and set the fruit aside. (You can parboil before them to remove the skins, if you prefer to not have skin in the finished product. Do this before slicing them.)
  3. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl with half of the salt. Beat until they hold firm peaks, then set them aside while you prepare the batter.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and rum extract until the mixture is noticeably light and fluffy.
  5. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream until well combined.
  6. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and remaining salt.
  7. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix only until the batter is smooth and no dry streaks remain.
  8. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter, taking care not to knock out too much of the air.
  9. Spread the batter evenly across the prepared pan. Arrange the apricot halves over the surface with the cut sides facing up, pressing them lightly into the batter.
  10. Bake on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and the center of the cake is set.
  11. Allow the cake to cool before dusting it with powdered sugar. If your apricots are especially tart, you can also sprinkle them lightly with granulated sugar before baking.

Notes

The volume measurements are approximate. For the most consistent result, use the metric weights.