What to Make When Apricots Are at Their Best

Apricots are one of those summer fruits that work in almost any format — baked into a cake, folded into a tiramisù, layered over a cold cheesecake. These five recipes cover the full range: a no-bake cold cake that sets in the fridge, a tiramisù with apricot syrup instead of coffee, a crumbly almond cake, a soft ricotta cake, and a buckwheat cake served with yogurt cream on the side.

Cold Apricot Cake is the summer version of a cheesecake — a crispy cookie base pressed into a springform pan, topped with a cream of Greek yogurt, mascarpone, and lemon zest set with gelatin, and finished with thin slices of fresh apricot brushed with apricot jam. No oven, no baking — just 45 minutes of assembly and two and a half hours in the fridge.

Pro tip: make it the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight — the cream firms up better and the cookie base stays crisper.

Apricot Tiramisù swaps the coffee for a fresh apricot soaking syrup — apricots blended with milk and a little powdered sugar — and layers it with the classic mascarpone and egg cream in individual glasses. The fruit brings sweetness and a bright acidity that cuts through the richness of the cream. Twelve glasses, two hours in the fridge, and a tiramisù that tastes like summer.

Pro tip: the recipe uses raw eggs — if you prefer, use pasteurized eggs for the cream. The result is identical.

Sbrisolona with Apricots is a traditional Italian crumble cake from northern Italy — made with corn flour, almonds, and lard, and broken into irregular chunks rather than sliced. This version folds in semi-candied apricots, which soften as the cake bakes and add pockets of sweet, chewy fruit against the crunchy, golden base. It's the most rustic dessert on this list and the one that surprises people most.

Pro tip: the original recipe uses lard, which gives the sbrisolona its characteristic crumbly texture. If you prefer, substitute with the same weight of cold butter — the cake will be slightly less crumbly but still very good.

Apricot and Ricotta Cake is a soft, butter-free cake made with ricotta, seed oil, and ripe apricots baked directly into the batter. The ricotta keeps it moist and light — closer to a yogurt cake in texture than a classic butter cake. Apricot wedges arranged on top in a sunburst pattern caramelize slightly in the oven. Serve dusted with powdered sugar, warm or at room temperature.

Pro tip: if your ricotta has a lot of whey, drain it through a sieve for an hour before using — it makes the batter smoother and the cake lighter.

Buckwheat Cake with Apricots and Cherries is a rustic Italian mountain cake — buckwheat flour and almond flour give it a dense, nutty crumb with a slightly earthy flavor that works beautifully with the sweetness of cherries and the tartness of apricots. It comes with a Greek yogurt and cream sauce on the side, which keeps every slice feeling light.

Pro tip: buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free — this cake works for guests with gluten intolerance as long as you verify your baking powder is also gluten-free.

Sbrisolona is the one to pass around without plates — break it apart, pour something cold, and let people help themselves. The tiramisù in individual glasses is the most elegant finish to a summer dinner. The buckwheat cake is the one that makes people ask what's in it — the answer surprises them every time. Any of the five is worth making right now, while the fruit is this good.