Apricot slices with flaked almonds are for you if you enjoy fruit in your baking. A tender butter cake base, a thick layer of apricot compote with fresh lemon zest and a golden sprinkling of flaked almonds make slices that are juicy and fruity, with a lovely crunch on top. The cake is baked in a square pan directly in the air fryer, so you do not have to turn on the big oven for one small cake.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
The apricots are simmered until soft and cooked down to a thick, glossy compote, which cools slightly while you mix the batter and pre-bake the base. Once the cake is baked through and has cooled, it is cut into 12 slices, ready to enjoy by hand with your afternoon coffee or to serve as a dessert.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love apricot slices with flaked almonds in the air fryer
I love cakes where something happens in every bite. Here the tender, buttery base meets a fruity, slightly tart compote, while the flaked almonds add a toasted crunch on top. Dried apricots have a concentrated sweetness, and the lemon zest lifts the flavour, so the slices never turn heavy.
The air fryer is a perfect fit for a small cake like this. The hot air circulates close around the pan, and the flaked almonds get a beautiful golden colour without drying out. I do not have to preheat a big oven for a single pan, and the kitchen does not heat up on a summer day.
Apricot compote instead of tosca topping
If you know almond slices with a caramelised tosca topping, apricot slices are a fresher cousin. Here a layer of apricot compote sits under the flaked almonds, and the almonds toast freely on top instead of being cooked into butter and sugar. That gives a lighter cake with more fruit and tartness – and it is hard to stop after one slice.
My kitchen test of apricot slices with flaked almonds
I baked the apricot slices in my Philips XXL, where a square pan of about 18 x 18 cm sits flat with air all the way around. The base is pre-baked at 160 °C for 15 minutes, until the surface is set and lightly golden. Then the apricot compote and flaked almonds go on, and the cake finishes baking in 12 minutes at the same temperature – 27 minutes in the air fryer in total.
In my Cosori Dual Blaze the heat comes from both the top and the bottom of the basket, which gives an evenly baked base. If your air fryer bakes unevenly, turn the pan half a turn after 10 minutes of the pre-bake. Finally, I check with a toothpick: if it comes out of the base without raw batter, the cake is done.
The hardest part is the wait. The cake needs to cool completely in the pan for about 1 hour before it is cut, so the compote can set. With 30 minutes of preparation, the total time comes to 117 minutes, but most of that is cooling, when you can simply leave the cake to look after itself.
Line the pan with parchment paper that reaches a little above the edges. That way you can lift the whole cake out in one piece when it is cold, and cut neat slices without scratching the pan.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake is an apricot compote that is too thin. It runs out towards the edges and makes the base soggy, so cook it until it is thick and glossy. Drag a spoon through the compote – if the trail stays visible, it is ready, and otherwise it needs to cook for another minute. The second mistake is flaked almonds that get too dark before the base is baked through. Keep an eye on the cake for the last few minutes, and turn down to 150 °C if the almonds are taking on too much colour. The third mistake is cutting the cake while it is still warm. Then the compote slides out, and the slices lose their shape. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, and wipe the knife between each cut so the edges stay neat.
How to serve apricot slices with flaked almonds
The slices taste lovely just as they are, but they can also be dressed up to suit the occasion:
- With your afternoon coffee or a cup of tea
- As a dessert with a dollop of lightly whipped cream
- With a fine dusting of icing sugar just before serving
- Warmed in the air fryer with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side
- On the cake table at birthdays, where they are easy to pick up with your fingers
Storage and reheating
The apricot slices can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. They are served cold or at room temperature, but can be warmed in the air fryer at 150 °C for 2-3 minutes. The cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months – thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Apricot slices with flaked almonds show that the air fryer can do much more than fries and chicken legs. With the right pan and a little patience during the cooling, you get 12 neat slices that look as if they came from the bakery. Happy baking.
FAQ
Most large air fryers have room for a square pan of about 18 x 18 cm. Make sure the pan sits flat in the basket with a little air around it. A smaller pan of about 16 x 16 cm gives a thicker base, which needs 2-3 extra minutes in the pre-bake.
Yes. Dried plums can replace half of the apricots, and orange zest can be used instead of lemon zest. If you want a more pronounced almond flavour, add a few drops of almond extract to the batter.
Yes, the slices can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, and serve them cold or at room temperature.
Recipe
Apricot slices with flaked almonds in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Square pan - approx. 18 x 18 cm, must fit in the basket
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Small pot - with lid
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Chefs knife
- 1 Fine grater
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 Toothpick
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Apricot compote
- Put 200 g dried apricots and 2 dl water in a small pot. Bring to the boil, put the lid on, and let the apricots simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes, until completely soft.
- Lift the apricots onto a cutting board with a slotted spoon, and leave the cooking water in the pot. Chop the apricots finely with a chef’s knife.
- Mix 50 g sugar and 1 tbsp cornstarch in a small bowl so the starch does not clump. Return the chopped apricots to the pot, and stir in the sugar mixture and 2 tsp lemon zest. Bring to the boil, stirring with a ladle, and let the compote cook for 1-2 minutes, until thick and glossy.
- Take the pot off the heat, and let the apricot compote cool slightly while you make and pre-bake the base. The compote sets and becomes firmer as it cools.
Butter cake base
- Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C fan.
- Line a square pan of about 18 x 18 cm with parchment paper, so the paper reaches a little above the edges. That way the cake can be lifted out when it is cold.
- In a mixing bowl, beat 100 g butter, 100 g sugar and 1 tsp vanilla sugar with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add 2 pcs eggs one at a time, and beat well after each egg, until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the lined pan, and smooth it into an even layer all the way into the corners.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Place the pan in the basket, and pre-bake the base at 160 °C for 15 minutes, until the surface is set and lightly golden. If your air fryer bakes unevenly, turn the pan half a turn after 10 minutes.
- Pull out the basket, and spread the warm apricot compote over the base in an even layer with the dough scraper. Leave the pan in the basket meanwhile, so you do not have to lift the hot pan.
- Sprinkle 50 g flaked almonds evenly over the compote, and press them down lightly so they stay in place.
Cooling and serving
- Take the pan out of the basket, and let the cake cool completely in the pan for about 1 hour. That lets the compote set, and the slices hold their shape when cut.
- Lift the cake out of the pan by the parchment paper. Cut it in half down the middle with a sharp chef’s knife, and then crosswise into 6 strips, so you get 12 slices. Wipe the knife between the cuts so the edges stay neat.
Our notes for the recipe
Measure your basket before you start: The pan must sit flat with a little air around it so the hot air can circulate. A pan of about 18 x 18 cm fits most large air fryers. If you use a smaller pan of about 16 x 16 cm, the base will be thicker, so give it 2-3 extra minutes in the pre-bake. The apricot compote should be thick enough that a trail stays visible when you drag a spoon through it – if it is too thin, cook it for another minute. Variation:
Use orange zest instead of lemon zest, or add a few drops of almond extract to the batter for a more pronounced almond flavour. Dried plums can replace half of the apricots. Serving:
Serve the slices with coffee or as a dessert with a dollop of lightly whipped cream. Dust with a little icing sugar just before serving, if you like. Servings:
The cake makes about 12 slices, which works out at 3 slices per serving.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
