APRICOT BREAKFAST CAKE WITH SEEDED STREUSEL TOPPING

THE SHORTCUT

I use tinned apricots in juice as they are available all year round and a bargain too. If you prefer, use fresh apricots when they are in season and swap with apples or pears for a change.

MAKES 12

PREP TIME: 15 MINS COOK TIME: 45 MINS

★ 175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

★ 100g soft light brown sugar

★ 50g demerara sugar

★ 2 large eggs

★ 100g Greek-style yogurt

★ 150g plain flour

★ 150g ground almonds

★ 1 tsp baking powder

★ pinch of salt

★ 411g tin apricot halves, drained and patted dry with paper towels

FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING

★ 50g butter, softened

★ 50g demerara sugar

★ 75g plain flour

★ 75g mixed seeds

★ Preheat the oven to

180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease and line a 30cm x 20cm x 5cm rectangular baking tin with baking parchment.

★ First, make the seeded streusel topping: in a small bowl, rub the butter, sugar and flour together with your fingertips until it is clumping together. Stir in the

seeds and squeeze with your fingertips to incorporate until the mixture looks like damp sand. Set aside.

★ Beat the butter and both sugars together in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add the eggs, beating after each addition until combined. Add the yogurt and beat again, then add the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. Stir the mixture until it is a thick, smooth cake batter.

★ Transfer the cake batter to the prepared tin, spreading it out in an even layer. Dot the apricot halves over the surface, then sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top. There will be some parts of the apricots and cake batter poking through, but don’t worry, this makes the texture even more intriguing and the cake prettier.

★ Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted at the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a board and cut into squares. Serve warm or leave to cool completely, then wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.