This slow cooker apricot cake recipe is a quick and easy muffin type cake made with wholemeal flour and dried apricots. Bake in your crockpot for the convenience and enjoy for an afternoon snack to keep up the energy levels or add to packed lunches.
Healthy snack
Because of the chilly weather (that’s my excuse anyway), I made a cake this week for afterschool snacks for a boost of energy. My children love dried fruit, in particular apricots, so adding them to the cake seemed a good idea.
I’ve chosen to use wholemeal spelt flour here, it has a great taste and wholemeal grains are so much better for you than refined grains.
I’ve also read that spelt is an ancient form of wheat which contains less gluten and may be tolerated better by people with wheat intolerance.
Here I’ve chosen to use this type of flour as it tastes good and gives a lovely colour. If you prefer you can use normal white flour in this cake instead, it might be slightly lighter in colour.
I’ve also used coconut oil in place of butter for this recipe, again this swap has health benefits, and I also find that coconut oil performs just as well as butter.
The recipe I’ve used here is rather like a muffin recipe, as you mix the wet ingredients into the dry.
It also has lower proportions of fat and sugar than you’d get in a typical cake. Just right for an afternoon snack or little treat with a coffee or tea.
Slow cooker cakes
Why bake in your slow cooker you might ask? Of course this cake can also be made in the oven, but I like to bake in the slow cooker for several reasons:
- It is much cheaper to run a slow cooker than an electric oven (only 1-2 p per hour approximately)
- You can forget about it and get on with other things while it bakes
- The cakes turn out very moist
- It can be fun!
Ingredients
- spelt flour – used to add a bit of goodness to the cake as it is wholegrain.
- baking powder – used because the spelt flour I use is plain and needs baking powder to rise.
- coconut oil – coconut oil works well in baking in place of butter.
- golden caster sugar – can be replaced with normal white caster sugar (superfine sugar).
- eggs
- milk
- dried apricots – if you like you can swap apricots for other dried fruit like raisins, sultanas. Add a few chopped nuts too if you like them.
Step by step
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
- Stir in the sugar.
- Melt the coconut oil by heating it gently in a pan or in the microwave. Keep it a little warm so it doesn’t solidify again.
- Place the milk and eggs in a jug and beat them together.
- Add the warm melted coconut oil to the milk and eggs and mix well.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Stir in the chopped apricots (dust them in flour first to stop them sinking in the cake as it bakes).
- Line your slow cooker pot with either baking paper or a large cake case (available in pound shops etc).
- Pour the cake mixture into the lined pot.
- Replace the lid, after adding a tea towel under the lid to stop condensation dropping onto the cake. You could also use paper kitchen towel.
- Cook on high for one to two hours, until a skewer or knife comes out clean. If the edges start burning, you could turn the slow cooker down to low after the first hour to finish it off.
- Once done, turn the slow cooker off and allow it to cool. Use the edge of the baking paper or cake case to pull the cake out of the slow cooker.
The cake turns out very tasty, even if it catches a little on some edges we find those crunchy bits taste great!
More to try
For more recipes using spelt flour, how about trying one or more of these:
- My Nutella spelt pancakes
- Easy thyme and olive oil protein spelt bread from My Food and Happiness
- Vegan banana cake from Fab Food 4 All
- Spelt and orange date squares from Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
- Matcha spelt chocolate chip cookies from Tin and Thyme
Pin for later!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Apricot Cake
Ingredients
- 325 g spelt flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 100 g coconut oil melted
- 85 g golden caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 250 ml milk at room temperature
- 115 g dried apricots chopped and dusted with flour
Equipment
Instructions
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
- Stir in the sugar.
- Melt the coconut oil by heating it gently in a pan or in the microwave. Keep it a little warm so it doesn't solidify again.
- Place the milk and eggs in a jug and beat them together.
- Add the warm melted coconut oil to the milk and eggs and mix well.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Stir in the chopped apricots (dust them in flour first to stop them sinking in the cake as it bakes).
- Line your slow cooker pot with either baking paper or a large cake case (available in pound shops etc).
- Pour the cake mixture into the lined pot.
- Replace the lid, after adding a tea towel under the lid to stop condensation dropping onto the cake. You could also use paper kitchen towel.
- Cook on high for one to two hours, until a skewer or knife comes out clean. If the edges start burning, you could turn the slow cooker down to low after the first hour to finish it off.
- Once done, turn the slow cooker off and allow it to cool. Use the edge of the baking paper or cake case to pull the cake out of the slow cooker.
Helen at Casa Costello says
OOh I love the cherry blossom season -just a pity it doesn’t last longer. I am once again in awe of your slow cooking skills. Thanks for joining in again with #Bakeoftheweek x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Helen, always such lovely bakes on #bakeoftheweek
lucyparissi says
I love baking with spelt flour it lends such a nice nuttty taste (though it spreads a bit flat on yeasted bakes). The arrival of spring definitely has me baking more (as if I needed an excuse!) I just love being able to see out of my kitchen into the garden finally and spotting the birds and flowers. #CookBlogShare
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
I love using my slow cooker but haven’t used it for a cake. I will definitely be trying it! This looks delicious x #bakeoftheweek
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Kirsty, loving the look of your recent bakes too x
mummywhiskers says
This looks lovely, I still haven’t tried to make a cake in my slow cooker but this has tempted me #bakeoftheweek
bakingqueen74 says
You should, it is so easy and can be delicious!
Honest Mum says
That looks incredible and unlike wheat I can digest spelt. Will be making this, reckon it would be good for breakfast too! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays x
bakingqueen74 says
It was great for breakfast! Hope you do try it and enjoy it 🙂
fabfood4all says
I am getting serious round slow cooker envy seeing all your fabulous cake recipes. I can’t remember the last time I had apricots in a cake so really need to fix that! Thanks for linking to my Banana Cake:-)
bakingqueen74 says
Haha Camilla, yes the round slow cooker is a good one for cakes!
kerrycooks says
Looks delicious and as you say very little fat and sugar!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Kerry, had to be good after the chocolate tart!
familyfriendsfoodblog says
I really need to get me a slow cooker… 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
You should! So useful when busy with the kids I find.
HedgeComber says
Eeeek to that cherry blossom!!! Sadly cherry trees won’t grow on our land for some bizarre reason, but if they did they’d be everywhere!
I’ve never baked in my slow cooker, but you’ve got me really interested in giving it a try 🙂
Janie x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Janie, you should definitely try it one day!
sus @ roughmeasures.com says
Looks amazing Lucy!!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Sus, loving your photos too 🙂