Apricot Cake

This cake has a very short season, and can be made as long as apricots are in season at the start of summer. Of course, you can always make the same cake with sliced plums, if you prefer. Delicious either way.
This is NOT a pie; it is a cake with apricots on top. As it bakes, some of the apricot slices sink into the cake.

The texture of the cake is velvety and lovely. I don’t burden the cake with too many apricots, but you may vary the amount of fruit if you prefer a more fruity cake.

Ingredients:

• 4 or 5 apricots, cut into quarters
• 1-2 Tablespoons sugar for sprinkling on the apricots before baking.
• 50 grams (1.7 oz) butter, softened or melted
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup finely granulated white sugar (NOT powdered sugar). In Israel there is now a new type of sugar, called “Sucar Dak Dak” packaged by “Sugat”; I find it wonderful for baking; it is similar actually, to the regular American granulated sugar, which is finer than our regular sugar in Israel.
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 container (200 ml – or 1 cup) sour cream (I use the 15% or 9% type of sour cream here in Israel)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinammon

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to medium heat (180 C or 350 F)
2. Wash and slice apricots. Sprinkle with 1-2 Tablespoons sugar. Set aside till needed.
3. In mixer bowl, place the very soft or partially melted butter, canola oil, sugar, and flour. Mix until crumbs are formed; stop mixer.
4. Remove 3/4 cup of the crumbs and set aside ;into this, mix the 1/4 teaspoon cinammon. (this will be the topping of the cake).
5. Into the remaining crumbs in mixer bowl, add the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat till smooth.
6. Pour batter into a greased cake pan (I use a 26 cm (approx 10 inch).
7. Place the sugared, sliced apricots around the top of cake.
8. Evenly sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the apricots.
9. Bake at 180 C or 350 F for about 40 minutes, till the cake is baked and has a nice golden-brown color.
10. Remove from oven, and allow to cool.
11. The cake should be baked several hours before eating; excellent also the next day (after it has cooled, it should be covered before storing).