Caramelised apricot upside-down cake, with almond and orange blossom

SERVES 8-10

Ingredients For the apricots:

● 15g butter, plus extra for greasing

● 7-8 apricots

● 140g sugar

● 60ml water

● 1 tbsp lemon juice (use the same lemon for the zest)

For the cake:

● 175g butter, softened, plus extra to grease

● 175g caster (superfine) sugar

● A pinch of sea salt

● Zest of 1 lemon

● 3 eggs

● 100g (plus 2tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour

● 100g ground almonds (almond meal) z 100ml yoghurt, plus extra to serve z 2tsp baking powder

● 1tbsp orange blossom water z Mascarpone, to serve (optional)

METHOD

1. Grease a 23cm (9in) cake tin with butter and line with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to Fan 160C/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Halve the apricots and remove the stones. Set aside.

3. Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat gently, swirling the pan rather than stirring to dissolve the sugar. Watch carefully until the mixture turns a light coffee colour, swirling occasionally to make sure the caramelisation is even. When the mixture is caramel coloured, remove from the heat.

4. Add the butter and turn the heat down to low, stirring until it all comes together. Add the lemon juice and stir well. You should now have a smooth caramel.

5. Pour the liquid caramel into the lined cake tin and smooth it out to form an even layer. Add the apricots, placing them close to each other, cut-side down.

6. For the cake, in a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), cream the butter and sugar with the salt and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one by one, until incorporated. Add the flour and the ground almonds and mix again. Finally add the yoghurt, baking powder and the orange blossom water. Stir to form a smooth batter, then ladle into the prepared tin. 7. Smooth the top, then bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until golden and risen. Allow to cool for a few minutes before inverting on to a serving plate. Serve with yoghurt or a blob of mascarpone.

● Note: If you can’t find apricots or they aren’t in season, you can use tinned ones, which work surprisingly well.