Yield: 1 aprium cake // Total Time: 1 hr. 30 min. // Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links.
This aprium cake is not only soft, fluffy, and delicious, but it’s also super easy to make. This light and fluffy cake pairs perfectly with a morning or afternoon coffee.
What the heck is an aprium?!
An aprium is a hybrid of an apricot and a plum. It is more similar to an apricot, with a hint of plum! When I first found these I knew I wanted to bake them in a way that they would be the star of the show. That’s when I discovered German apricot cake (Aprikosenkuchen), which is the inspiration behind this recipe.
Aprium cake recipe tips
Weigh your ingredients
Weighing your ingredients is important for getting the recipe perfect and getting consistent results. Not weighing your ingredients can lead to adding too much or too little of an ingredient which can turn your cake from soft and fluffy to tough and chewy. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend purchasing a kitchen scale. This one is super cheap and worked well for me when I was starting out!
Room temperature ingredients
It is important that the butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at room temperature so that they incorporate properly with the rest of the ingredients. Take out the butter, eggs, and buttermilk at least 30 minutes before starting the recipe. If you are in a hurry and need some tricks to getting room temperature ingredients quickly, you can check out this post here!
Mix the batter carefully
When adding in the flour, only fold the mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing the dough leads to more gluten formation, which can make the cake tough and chewy instead of soft and fluffy.
Ingredients and substitutions
All purpose flour: the structure of the cake. I would not recommend using cake flour as the cake is already super fluffy and tender using the all purpose.
Baking powder: for helping the cake rise.
Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the cake.
Unsalted butter: for tenderizing the cake and giving it that classic buttery taste. You can substitute in salted butter, just omit the extra salt from the recipe.
Granulated sugar: for sweetening the cake and keeping it moist. The sugar also helps aerate the butter to give this cake it’s rise and keep it light and fluffy. We will also sprinkle some sugar on top of the cake to compliment the slight tartness of the aprium.
Eggs: for moisture, structure, and binding the batter together.
Vanilla: I use and love this vanilla extract. We will use some vanilla in the bundt, and some in the glaze.
Buttermilk: for tenderizing the cake and adding moisture. I highly recommend using buttermilk but I know it can be hard or annoying to purchase, especially if you don’t plan on using it for anything else. It won’t be completely the same, but you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute. For this recipe, simply combine 10g of lemon juice or vinegar with 215g of whole milk and use as normal.
Apriums: the star of the show in this cake. If you can’t find apriums, feel free to substitute in apricots!
How to store aprium cake
The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It will be the most fresh and taste the best on the day that it is baked, but will last for 3 days.
How to prevent the aprium cake from getting stuck to the pan
I use and absolutely love this pan and have never had a problem with the cake sticking. To make sure your cake doesn’t stick, generously butter it, making sure to get all of the crevices. An easy way to do this is to melt 1-2 tbsp. of butter and use a pastry brush to brush the inside of the pan. Then, generously pour some granulated sugar into the pan and shake it around so that it completely coats the inside. Tap out any excess sugar and then you’re good to go! If you want an extra layer of protection, you can line the bottom with parchment paper before adding in the sugar.
Why do you measure in grams?
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale, and here’s an article about why I use a kitchen scale, and why you should too!
A note on oven temperature
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature. For example, I always have to set my oven to 330°F if I want it to bake at 350°F. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
Tools and ingredients
10″ cake pan: I have never had a cake not come out perfectly from this pan, I love it!
Vanilla: I love using Rodelle vanilla extract. Not only is it a great quality product, but it’s on the lower end of the price that vanilla can be! This is the one I use.
For a full list of tools, equipment and ingredients that I use and love, you can check out this page here.
Did you make this aprium cake?
If you made this aprium cake I would love to see it and know your thoughts! Please leave a comment and review down below, and tag me on Instagram @freshbeanbakery. If you have any questions about the recipe I will gladly do my best to answer them in the comments below!
Aprium Cake
Ingredients
- 280 g all purpose flour (2 ⅓ c.)
- 2 ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 185 g unsalted butter room temperature (½ c. + 5 tbsp.)
- 250 g granulated sugar (1 ¼ c.)
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 225 g buttermilk (1 c.) room temperature
- 6 apriums cut in half, pitted
- 25 g granulated sugar (2 tbsp.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Butter a 10" cake pan and coat it with granulated sugar. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer, in a large bowl) beat together the butter and 250g sugar for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in all of the eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined (~1 min.)
- Add in half of the flour mixture, and mix by hand just until the flour is incorporated. Add in all of the buttermilk and mix until combined. Add in the rest of the flour, and lightly fold the mixture together just until all of the flour is incorporated.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Place the apriums face down into the batter, evenly spread apart (8 on the outside ring, 4 on the inside ring). Sprinkle 25g of sugar evenly over the cake, then bake. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Wait for the cake to cool before serving. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Kate says
I’d never had an aprium, so I bought some. The flavor was great but the fuzzy skin was a massive turn-off. Because I hate to throw things away, I started hunting for recipes and this one popped up. It looked like a riff on the apple cake my German grandma made when I was a kid. So I promptly went out and bought a 10” cake pan (yes, I spent $12 on a pan so I wouldn’t throw away $6 of apriums) and went to work. It came together quickly and smelled divine while baking. I let it cool in the pan and then turned it out on a cooling rack so I could taste it sooner, and I’m glad I didn’t wait… this cake is divine. Dense, moist crumb, with the sweetness of the vanilla a perfect counterpoint to the tart fruit. Thank you for your creative genius! Now, to figure out how to hide the rest so I don’t have to share…
Erin says
Thank you so much for sharing and for your kind words. I’m so happy that those apriums led you to this recipe, and that you enjoyed the cake! 🙂