Beaumes-de-Venise Cake with Apricots

Beaumes-de-Venise Cake with Apricots on marble plate
Photography by Stephen Devries

This Beaumes-de-Venise Cake with Apricots is named after a French town in the Vaucluse, and the sweet, fortified wine produced there. The recipe traditionally calls for Beaumes-de-Venise wine, but we love the taste of a Côtes du Rhône varietal. Any inexpensive Muscat or Sauternes will do as well.

5.0 from 4 reviews
Beaumes-de-Venise Cake with Apricots
 
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (240 grams) Côtes du Rhône wine
  • 1 cup (128 grams) chopped dried apricots
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons (42 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs (100 grams)
  • 1¾ cups (219 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, heat wine over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Add apricots, and remove from heat. Let stand until cool, about 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350ÅãF (180ÅãC). Line the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment paper; grease bottom and sides of pan with olive oil.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter and oil at medium speed for 5 to 10 seconds. Add ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, and vanilla; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Reduce mixer speed to low.
  5. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with wine mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Spread batter into prepared pan.
  6. Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cubed butter and remaining 1 tablespoon (12 grams) sugar; bake 5 minutes more. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen before removing from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Read the whole article in Bake From Scratch Spring 2016.

BAKE SPRING 2016

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9 COMMENTS

    • Hi, this cake recipe traditionally calls for Beaumes-de-Venise wine, but we used Cotes du Rhone wine because we like the taste. You can use any inexpensive Muscat or sauternes wine too.

  1. I went ahead with white wine (a mineraly Loire Valley variety), and the resulting cake is very nice. I think the cake would be too sweet for my tastes if a sweeter wine were used.

  2. I randomly came across this amazing cake recipe and it’s turned out to be a big keeper! Friends love this tasty but not too heavy dessert after dinner. It’s delicious and not difficult to make—and makes a great snack too. Thank you!!

  3. I made this with a few changes. I don’t have a stand mixer so I used a hand electric mixer initially and switched to a spatula for the final mix, Didn’t have an orange on hand so I just used more lemon zest. I used cake flour instead of all purpose because I hadn’t tried cake flour before. When it hit 30 minutes, the toothpick came out clean but it looked pallid. I should have given it another 5 minutes. I had trouble figuring out the final step; the butter and sugar topping. It didn’t give an even coating and looked ugly. I disguised it with confectionary sugar..

    It tasted great even though I think it was a little undercooked. I didn’t chop my apricots finely enough so they made it hard to cut without pulling apricot pieces out.

    Next time, I’ll use all purpose flour, finer chopped apricots and a bit more cooking time. I’ll skip the sugar and butter coating at the end and go straight to confectionary sugar.

    I used a cheap California chardonnay that my wife likes. I took lots of heat for using “her” wine so I’ll use another wine next time. The cake was not too sweet so I’ll choose a dry wine. again.

    Over all, a great recipe that I’ll try again.

    • Hi Carina,

      Thank you for your question!

      You are correct, this cake is intended to be made with a white wine. Côtes du Rhône are the basic AOC wines of the Rhône region, and exist as reds, whites, and rosés, generally dominated by Grenache blanc for whites. And, as the recipe mentions, any inexpensive Muscat or Sauternes will do as well.

      Happy Baking!

  4. This is a supremely delicious, elegant cake. I have tried in vain to find Beaumes de Venise wine, but have used sweet moscato type wine with great success. It is a lovely, lovely cake that impresses whoever tastes it.

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