Apricot Cornmeal Cakes

• FOR THE CAKES:
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons Orange Zest
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Or Almond Extract
• 1/2 teaspoons Orange Extracct
• 1-1/4 cup All-purpose Flour (or Substitute 1 Cup Flour And 1/4 Cup Corn Flour)
• 1/2 cups Fine Ground Cornmeal
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 2 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice Powder
• 6 Small Ripe Apricots, Pitted And Cut Into 8 Slices Each
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1 Tablespoon Turbinado Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice Powder
• 1/4 teaspoons Orange Zest

1. Note: I find regular coarse cornmeal to be too gritty and overly crunchy in baked goods so I use fine ground cornmeal for a nice, slightly crunchy texture. I substituted some corn flour to give the cakes a little more corn flavor.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners or lightly spray 4 individual 6-inch pans with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Combine granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon orange zest in a small bowl and press down with a spoon to release the oils in the zest.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar/orange zest mixture until extremely light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Add the eggs and extracts and mix until well incorporated, scraping the bowl with a spatula as needed.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder. With the mixer running, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter/egg mixture until just combined. Do not over mix.
6. Scoop the batter into the muffin tin or individual pans. Place apricot slices on the top.
7. Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl then sprinkle over the apricot cakes.
8. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove pan(s) from oven and set on a rack. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
9. Adapted from A Spicy Perspective.

sugar, orange zest, butter, eggs, vanilla, orange extracct, allpurpose flour, ground cornmeal, baking powder, salt, turbinado sugar, ubc, ubc

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/apricot-cornmeal-cakes/ (may not work)