Hamdi Saidani This easy, impressive apricot danish coffee cake is made with a shortcut cake mix batter, a cream cheese filling, canned apricot halves nestled into wells, a crumbly almond topping, and a sweet glaze drizzled over the top. It takes about 20 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to bake.
The batter is a clever mix of white cake mix, eggs, and sour cream. The sour cream makes it dense and tangy enough to support the weight of the cream cheese and fruit sitting in each well. You spread the batter into a jelly roll pan, press 15 wells into the surface with the back of a spoon, drop a spoonful of beaten cream cheese into each one, then set an apricot half cut side up right on top. That assembly creates individual portions built right into the cake.
The crumb topping uses the reserved half cup of dry cake mix mixed with butter and slivered almonds. It’s a quick streusel that adds crunch and nuttiness across the whole surface. The confectioners’ sugar glaze goes on after the cake cools, drizzled in thin lines so each piece gets a touch of sweetness without drowning the apricot and cream cheese underneath.
Apricot Danish Coffee Cake
Description
This apricot danish coffee cake nests cream cheese and apricot halves into a sour cream cake batter, tops it with an almond crumble, and finishes with a sweet glaze.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan. Set aside 1/2 cup of the dry cake mix for the topping.
- Mix together the eggs and sour cream in a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining cake mix. The batter will be lumpy. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
- Using the back of a spoon, press 15 wells into the batter, arranged in 3 rows of 5.
- Beat together the cream cheese and milk in a bowl until fluffy. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into each well. Place one drained apricot half, cut side up, on top of each cream cheese portion.
- Combine the reserved 1/2 cup of cake mix with the butter in a small bowl. Stir until crumbly. Mix in the slivered almonds. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the entire surface of the cake.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let cool completely. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and water until smooth, adding more water by the teaspoon if needed. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
FAQs
What do I serve it with?
A cup of hot coffee or tea for breakfast or an afternoon snack. For a brunch spread, the easy Strawberry Danishon the same table gives guests a puff pastry option against this denser, cake-style danish. TheCornmeal Pancakes with Blackberry Syrup alongside add a savory-sweet, griddle-cooked contrast for anyone wanting something warm and hearty.
Can I use fresh apricots instead of canned?
Fresh halves work, but they hold more moisture and can make the wells soggy. Canned apricots are already soft and drained, which means they sit neatly in the cream cheese without releasing extra juice into the batter during baking.
Why set aside half a cup of the cake mix?
That reserved mix becomes the base of the crumb topping when mixed with butter and almonds. It saves you from making a separate streusel recipe and keeps the ingredient list short. The cake mix already has sugar and flour in the right proportions for a quick crumble.
What if my cream cheese mixture is too thick to spoon?
Beat it with the milk a little longer until it loosens up. Cold cream cheese stays stiff and won’t settle properly into the wells. Let it come to room temperature before mixing, or microwave it in 10-second bursts until it’s soft enough to beat smooth.
How do I cut this into even portions?
The wells do the work for you. Each apricot half marks one serving. Use a long knife and cut between the rows to get 15 even pieces, each with its own apricot and cream cheese center. Wipe the blade between cuts so the glaze doesn’t smear.
