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Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake

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Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake is a simple, earthy cake in the Clafouti tradition. And a delicious vehicle for fresh fruit and berries in late summer.

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake | LunaCafeThere’s a simple, earthy cake in the French culinary repertoire, from the region of Limousin, called clafouti (pronounced klah-foo-tee). And it’s an especially delicious way to treat fresh summer fruit and berries.

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake

It consists of a layer of cake-custard, topped with a layer of fruit. The result can be more like cake or more like custard, depending on the proportions in the batter. Sometimes clafouti is described as a pancake, and it does have a slight similarity to the high-rising German pancake called Dutch Baby. I have also eaten versions that are simple custards enrobing fruit–no flour in the batter at all.
Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake

My version is on the other end of the spectrum. It contains no eggs and is cake-like (not a pancake, not a custard) with an unusual, distinctively chewy texture. Everyone who tastes it love it. I don’t recall where I stumbled on the formula, but I haven’t encountered it anywhere since.

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake: Goldbar Apricots

The success of this dish rests squarely on the quality of the fruit. Buy from a local grower, in season, if at all possible.

The apricots pictured here are a variety called Goldbar. I first encountered them in July 2007 from a grower who brought them from his farm in Eastern Washington to the Woodinville Farmers Market in Western Washington.

Then later, I found them again at the University District Farmers Market in Seattle. These are the best apricots I have ever eaten, incredibly aromatic with plenty of bright acidity. Look for them!

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake

Because this cake is so simple to make and not overly sweet, it makes an excellent addition to a breakfast or brunch menu. It’s also wonderful with afternoon tea, perhaps an organic Darjeeling Muscatel from Oregon tea purveyor, The Tao of Tea. It’s best eaten shortly after baking.

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake

Inspiration Note   Julia Child describes this classic dessert beautifully, along with several variations, in the inestimable, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1. Her formula, however, is quite different than the one I’m sharing here.

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake

Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Susan S. Bradley
Serves: 4-6
Apricots release their full depth of flavor only when cooked. Thus I’m always looking for ways to treat them to a little heat. They’re the perfect fruit for this simple cake, but blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, or sour cherries also work beautifully.
Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • Apricots
  • 4 fresh, large apricots (8 if small)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons chopped candied ginger
  • 2 tablespoons ginger-flavored liqueur (or nonalcoholic ginger beer)
  • ¼ vanilla bean
  • Cake Batter
  • ¾ cup King Arthur all-purpose flour, sifted
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup milk, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ginger extract
  • Garnish
  • powdered sugar in a shaker
Instructions
  1. To prepare the pie plate: Locate a 10½-inch diameter ceramic pie plate with a 5-6 cup capacity. (Another shape of shallow baking dish with the same capacity will also work.)
  2. Pour in the melted butter and tip the pie plate from side to side to cover all of it with butter. You may need to use a brush to lightly coat the edges of the pie plate with butter. Reserve.
  3. To prepare the apricots: Cut the apricots in half, remove the seeds and any remaining stems, and if large, cut each half in half again.
  4. Put the apricots in a medium-size bowl and add the sugar, candied ginger, and liqueur.
  5. With a small sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the inside of the vanilla bean into the bowl. (What remains of the vanilla bean can be used to flavor a bowl of sugar, a custard, or whatever.)
  6. With a flexible spatula, gently combine the apricots with the other ingredients. (If the apricots are not juicy enough, add 1-2 additional tablespoons water to dissolve the sugar.) Reserve.
  7. To prepare the cake batter: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, and the baking powder.
  8. With a wooden spoon, beat in the milk to produce a smooth batter. Don’t over beat, but batter shouldn’t have many lumps either.
  9. Pour the batter into the center of the buttered gratin dish. No worries, it will spread out on its own.
  10. Place the apricots, cut sides down, and their remaining liquid evenly over the batter, leaving a 3/4–inch open border of batter around the outside edges (this will allow the batter to rise dramatically at the edges).
  11. Place on a rack in the upper third of a preheated 375°F oven. Set an edged baking sheet on the rack below to catch any overflow.
  12. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the sides are fully puffed, the center is slightly puffed, and the top is golden brown.
  13. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cook for 15 minutes before cutting. To serve, dust with powdered sugar and cut into wedges.
Fresh Apricot Ginger Peasant Cake
Copyright 2009 Susan S. Bradley. All rights reserved.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Susan, What an amazing and beautiful combination. We don’t often get good apricots here (in Washington DC) but if I see any at a farmers market, I’m going to make this for sure. Of course, I’m a crystalized ginger fanatic so the combination had me at the get-go.
    Laura´s last blog post ..Middle Eastern-Style Kale SaladMy Profile

  3. I just make a cocktail using apricot juice, lamenting the lack of really good apricots. These look amazing and I’m jealous…of the fruit and this beautiful cake.

  6. Susan you need to stop, I can’t keep up with my list of things to make! This cake looks so delicious and the addition of the fresh apricots and ginger are just marvelous! I bet this cake is perfect for summer, picnic or as dessert after a BBQ.
    Florian´s last blog post ..Double-face BrowniesMy Profile

  7. Sounds absolutely delicious, I love the combination of apricots and ginger and the idea of using fresh apricots!

  8. Hi Susan, I am beginning to see apricots at produce stands here in Western Washington and your recipe sounds perfect for a birthday dessert I want to make. But I am feeding about 12 people. Do you think your recipe would double successfully? And baked, perhaps, in a rectangular pan?

    • Hi there! Is there any way you could simply make two of these? you can double the recipe, using a 10-12 cup capacity baking dish, but you will need to extend the baking time by probably 15 minutes (just guessing here so watch for signs that the cake is done. Hope this helps. 🙂

      • Hi Susan, I went ahead and doubled the recipe, baking the dessert in a rectangular pan. It turned out great. I loved the slightly chewy texture and the tangy taste of the apricots. The little nubbins of candied ginger were a welcome component. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  9. The picture had me sold. Apricots in clafouti– inspired. And your list of other possibilities has me going. One thing I’ve never seen, though– ginger extract. BTW, I’m finally subscribing, looking forward to getting the recipes as they appear.
    Mary (Fit and Fed)´s last blog post ..Vegan Berry CrispMy Profile

  10. I think I gained a few pounds from just looking at those mouth watering pictures! So delicious and fluffy, cant wait to try out the recipe.

    • But, birthday cake pictures, this cake has no calories. heh heh… OK just kidding. 🙂 I do suggest that you have 4 people hanging out in the kitchen ready to eat this clafouti as it comes out of the oven. Otherwise, it’s hard to stop eating it yourself. I know this from experience, unfortunately. 🙂

    • Thank you, Dana! Ohhhh, figs + five spice, yes! Plums + ginger, yes. Sour cherries + almond, yes. Apples + cinnamon, yes. Pears + anise, yes. Blueberries + lavender, yes. Raspberries + rose petal, yes. Well, that should get us started. 🙂

  12. I love your take on the clafoutis…worked really well. Just baked it in little indiv pie dishes, using peaches. Haven’t tasted ’em yet, but they look ever so pretty! Thank you for a beautiful post! ???
    .-= deeba´s last blog ..CHOCOLATE GENOISE CAKE with MOCHA MASCARPONE…CAKE NIRVANA =-.

    • Deeba, thank you! Individual clafouti with peaches sound elegant and lovely. I would get out my Minton Hadden Hall whimsical floral china for that. Now you’ve made me hungry. I think I’ll try a blueberry lavender version. 🙂

  13. Thank you, Louise, you are very kind! 🙂 This is the easiest cake in the world. My daughter is just starting to show an interest in cooking, and I plan to point her to this recipe, as I know she will have good success with it. So will you!

  14. hey Susan, yes you can substitute curd for yogurt in the baby poatoes’ recipe at my blog. There is no change in terms of flavour at all. 🙂

  15. Oh wow, I had a cherry almond clafoutis at a friend’s house recently and it was delicious. I like your idea of using apricots too! Yum! Gorgeous photos.

    • Thanks Lorna! Cherries and almonds would be great here too. I love that flavor combo. I wonder if I could work a little marzipan into this batter next time. Hmmm…

  16. my godddd what a wonderfullll food… it look so delicious…i love eating them in a Eugenio Dinnerware…

    • Thanks Julie! I’m sure the Queen Anne Farmers Market is overflowing with apricots right now. Will try to visit next weekend. Love Queen Anne!

    • Thanks Lisa! Should we try a piece of this clafouti with a drizzle of your amazing hot fudge sauce? Or is that gilding the lily? 🙂

    • Thanks Tim! You might like this. It’s decidedly uncakey: chewy, moist, and loaded with over-the-top apricot flavor.

  22. I’m in love with this. Fruit in baking works for me, & those apricots look amazing. I have peaches on hand, & crystllised ginger. Another beautiful post!!
    .-= deeba´s last blog ..BACK TO SCHOOL VEGGIE PIZZA IN A GARLIC PESTO CREAM SAUCE =-.

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