Name: Apricot Coffee Cake
Yield: Makes 9 servings
Ingredients: 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature; 1 cup granulated sugar; 4 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; Pinch of salt; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; Grated zest of 1/2 lemon; 1 15 3/4-ounce can apricots, well drained; Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Marillenfleck

This is one of the most popular of all coffee-house treats, and almost every baker has the recipe in his or her head. (The proportions are 200 grams each of flour, sugar and butter, but these don't translate as easily in the American volume method of measuring.) This version comes from my friend Gerda Hofer, who related it by heart. Don't be put off by the use of canned fruit, which is consistently flavorful and sometimes preferable to the bland fresh fruit we get too often these days; but you can use fresh fruit if you are sure it is at its peak of flavor. If using fresh apricots, sprinkle them with 2 tablespoons additional sugar before baking.

Recipe notes

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