Little Apricot Cakes

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (use 1 teaspoon if at high altitude)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk

2 apricots, halved, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch wedges

2 tablespoons raw sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat muffin cups with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, lemon zest and vanilla and beat until combined.

With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Divide batter among muffin cups (cups will be only 1/3 full) and smooth tops. Top with apricot slices and sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake until cakes are golden and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20–25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let pan cool 5 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack and let cool completely.