French Nectarine Cake: a seasonal spin on French Apple Cake
The perfect ending to a summer barbecue, this cake is light, fruity, and just the right amount of sweet. Best of all, it comes together quickly and easily.
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The story
Ah, the French. I know they have a diverse reputation, but I love them. The week my husband and I spent in Paris was one of the best weeks of my life. The people were so kind, the city and architecture is breathtaking—especially Notre Dame, and the food. The food is so simple yet SO good.
I think French food perfectly embodies French culture.
This recipe is a great example: it’s laidback, sweet but not overly so, simple yet nuanced. The simplicity is what I love about it. It’s what I needed this weekend, after being SO busy lately, between seeing friends and family, trying to repaint our kitchen cabinets with a baby, and generally taking care of said baby.
In fact, baby girl is kinda why I made this cake. I was all hipster trendy and walked to the farmers market on Saturday, and she kept grabbing the nectarines. So, that’s what we bought.
Since stone fruits are in season, I’ve been trying to find a dessert that incorporates them, other than cobbler or pie. Honestly, there isn’t much. So I decided to get creative and try this French apple cake, subbing in nectarines. Weirdly, it worked. They bring a juicy sweetness to the cake that helps it taste even better the second day.
How to make French nectarine cake
1. Melt then cool the butter.
2. Cut the fruit (peeling is optional if using stone fruit).
3. Whisk eggs until frothy, then add sugar and whisk again.
4. Mix bourbon and vanilla then whisk into eggs.
5. Mix try ingredients then add to the wet.
6. Fold in the fruit.
7. Spread in your pan and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake then cool.
Enjoy!
Tips and notes for this recipe
Fruit options
Honestly, I think this recipe would work with any type of fruit. Traditionally, it contains apples, but nectarines worked well, as would any stone fruit. However, I’d remove the skin if using peaches, as those tend to be a little more tough. And I’ve seen raspberry cakes that look very similar. In fact, I fully intend to make this in the fall with cinnamon, brown sugar instead of granulated, and potentially browning the butter. I’ll let you know how it turns out. :)
The batter
Since, as per usual, there are countless variations of French apple cake, I decided to work from Dorie Greenspan’s recipe, since she’s a part-time Parisienne. However, I made a few adjustments after seeing the wide range of ingredient ratios out there. I think that was key in working with nectarines, since they retain so much moisture after baking.
Plus, the French don’t really go by strict recipes and measurements. So I chose to eyeball it like the French, including using bourbon instead of rum, since I just don’t love the taste of rum, even after it’s cooked out in a dessert.
Grease your pan well
This is one recipe that risks sticking, so be sure to grease well. I exclusively use baking Pam in my baking, but butter alone would work here, too.
Fruit
First, be sure to choose ripe fruit. Depending on what it is, you may want it to be slightly soft. For sure, make sure it is fragrant. If it has little smell, it’s underripe. If it has a somewhat vinegar-y or grossly sweet smell, it’s likely overripe and spoiled.
I also wish I’d cut my nectarines a little smaller. Dorie’s recipe calls for 1-2” chunks, but I think 1/2” is the largest you’d want to go if using something other than apples.
Butter
As always, choose high quality, European style butter. It has less water and will create a better cake. Since this recipe uses the simple blending method of cake making, the butter will need to be melted. However, let it cool for a few minutes before incorporating or it’ll scramble your eggs.
Whisk the eggs and sugar well
I’ve been reading up on the science of baking lately, and to sum up what I’ve learned about sugar—it’s more than just a sweetener. It bonds with fats, it retains moisture, it helps cakes keep their shape. I’ve always been a devout whisk-until-fluffy person, but now I realize why it’s so important to do so. In fact, I often whisk half the time called for, let sit while I measure or wash bowls, then whisk the rest of the time. This is because we use organic cane sugar, which is a larger crystal and takes longer to break down. Incorporating your sugar correctly really affects a recipe.
Sugar on top
Sprinkling sugar on top before baking is optional, but it helps create a bit of crunch (which is part of what makes this cake so yummy)!
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French Nectarine Cake
- prep time: 15 min
- cook time: 50-60 min
- total time: 1 hr 15 min
Servings: 6-8 (makes a 9" cake)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3-4 medium nectarines (or apples or other fruit)
- 1 cup (136g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder
- large pinch sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, plus more for finishing
- 3 tablespoons (44g) bourbon or rum
- 1 teaspoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350*. Generously grease a 9" springform pan with butter or baking spray.
- Melt the butter either in a pan over medium low or in the microwave, watching carefully so as not to boil it, and set aside to cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- While the butter cools, cut the fruit into about 1/2 inch pieces. If desired, remove skin first (I didn't, but I would if using apples). I prefer smaller dices, but you can get away with 1 inch pieces.
- Whisk the eggs vigorously for about 1-2 minute until they become frothy and lighter in color. Add the sugar and whisk again for 1-2 minutes. If your sugar is a larger grain, such as raw or organic, you can pause halfway through and cut the fruit then finish whisking to help dissolve it. Mixture will still be grainy but well-mixed and slightly frothy.
- Add bourbon and vanilla and whisk again to fully incorporate.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gently mix in half the flour then half the butter, then the rest of the flour, then the rest of the butter, fully incorporating between each addition. Be careful not to overmix at this point, as the more you mix flour with liquids, the tougher your cake will become.
- Gently fold in the fruit with a spatula or wooden spoon. Pour into greased pan, spreading batter until somewhat even. Sprinkle a few pinches of sugar on top, getting it to the edges.
- Bake 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the top begins to turn golden brown. You don't want a super blonde cake, as the slight caramelization is what makes it yummy! Let cool completely in the springform pan before serving.
Enjoy!
Wrap leftovers well or place in an airtight container. Keep on the counter 3-5 days.