Summer in the Czech Republic is a time for delicious fruit recipes, and one of the favorites is apricot sheet cake. Made with a soft yeast dough and generously sprinkled with sweet crumble topping, it is a real treat. Ready to make this delicious cake? Let's get started!
In this post: About this recipe · Is this really called a Koláč? · Pronunciation · Ingredients · How to make Czech apricot cake · Useful tips
➜ About the recipe
This sheet cake starts with a rich yeast dough spread on a baking sheet. It is then topped with fresh apricots and a Drobenka crumbles with a hint of cinnamon. Once baked, the cake is sliced and served as a perfect sweet dessert.
A nice twist on this cake: Czech buchta with canned peaches
➜ Wait, is this really called a Koláč?
Hell, yes! In Czech, this cake is called "Meruňkový koláč." Now, I know the word "Koláč" (Kolach) might confuse some of you because you probably think of a small, round pastry that fits in your hand.
But Czechs get creative with their pastry names. When you bake a cake on a baking sheet and cut it into slices, it is still called a "Koláč," or more specifically, a "Koláč na plech."
➜ Pronunciation
If you are curious about how to pronounce the recipe name in Czech, I have recorded a short audio file with the words: "Meruňkový koláč." Just click and listen!
➜ Ingredients you need
Yeast dough:
- Unsalted butter - Before using, melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove. Make sure the butter is lukewarm, not hot.
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Active dry yeast
- Milk - Lukewarm, at a temperature of about 110-115°F.
- Egg yolks
- Salt
✅ See the recipe below with step-by-step photos and many helpful tips. Scroll down for the full printable recipe in both US cups and metric measurements.
Topping:
- Fresh apricots - Well ripened are sweeter and so better. If the apricots are a bit tart, sprinkle them with about two tablespoons of granulated sugar to balance the flavor.
- For cinnamon crumbles: Unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon.
Next, you will need a piece of solid fat for greasing the sheet cake and some powdered sugar for dusting, just in case the apricots still need a sweet touch.
The number of apricots needed varies based on the size of your baking sheet. I used a 11x14-inch baking sheet for this recipe.
NOTE: I kneaded the dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. For more experienced home bakers, the yeast dough can be kneaded by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Making the dough by hand requires more time and physical effort.
➜ How to make Czech apricot sheet cake
STEP 1: Let's proof the yeast first. Mix lukewarm milk with sugar, flour, and yeast. Leave it in a warm place until bubbles appear on the surface.
STEP 2: Place the flour, sugar, egg yolks, and proofed yeast in a mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, blend for about one minute until the ingredients are combined. Then turn off the mixer, add the melted butter and salt, and knead the dough on medium speed for another 8 minutes, scraping down any ingredients that have stuck to the sides of the bowl.
STEP 3: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball, and place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap, and keep it in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size.
Learn how to quickly make the dough rise in the oven.
STEP 4: While the dough is rising, prepare the crumbles. In a bowl, combine the flour, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Use your fingers to work the mixture into coarse crumbs.
Fun fact: Czechs call this crumble or streusel topping Drobenka, Posypka, or Žmolenka.
STEP 5: Grease a baking sheet with a piece of solid fat; there is no need to line it with parchment paper. Spread the proofed dough over the surface of the sheet, creating a thin layer. Use your fingers for this, and make slightly higher edges around the circumference.
STEP 6: Cover the dough generously with the apricot pieces, cut side up. If the apricots are tart, sprinkle them with about two tablespoons of granulated sugar.
Finally, sprinkle the apricots with crumbles.
STEP 7: Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C) and bake the cake for 35 minutes. Once done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet.
Before serving, cut the cake into slices about 3 inches wide. If it is not sweet enough for your taste, you can dust it with powdered sugar. Dobrou chuť!
Also, try this quick and easy apricot sheet cake!
➜ Useful tips
- I like to cut the apricots into smaller pieces so the baked cake is easier to slice and enjoy. It makes serving and eating a breeze!
- This apricot sheet cake is perfect for feeding a crowd! Bake it for family gatherings, potlucks, or for the kids' school events to showcase some delicious Czech cuisine.
- The cake will keep at room temperature for up to three days. If stored in the fridge, it lasts for five to seven days. The cake also freezes well. After cooling, slice it, transfer the pieces to a sealable container, and place them in the freezer. Use within three months.
Tried this recipe?
Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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📖 Recipe
Czech Apricot Sheet Cake (Meruňkový koláč)
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
Yeast starter
- ¾ cup lukewarm milk 110-115°F
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
Yeast dough
- 2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ stick unsalted butter melted, not hot
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 2 ½ pounds fresh apricots cleaned, pitted, cut into pieces
- ⅔ stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Misc.:
- 2 teaspoons solid fat to grease the baking sheet
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar to sprinkle the baked cake
Instructions
- Activate yeast: Mix ¾ cup lukewarm milk with ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, and 1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast. Let it sit in a warm place until bubbles form on the surface, about 10-15 minutes.
- Knead the yeast dough: Place 2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 egg yolks, and proofed yeast inclusive milk in a mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix for one minute until combined. Add ½ stick unsalted butter (slowly melted, not hot) and ¼ teaspoon salt, then knead on medium speed for 8 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Let the dough rise: Turn the dough onto a floured surface, shape into a ball, and place in a bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
- Prepare the crumbly streusel topping: In a bowl, combine ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ⅔ stick unsalted butter, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Use your fingers to work the mixture into coarse crumbs.
- Make the cake: Grease a baking sheet with 2 teaspoons solid fat; no parchment needed. Spread the proofed dough into a thin layer, using your fingers, and create slightly higher edges around the sides.
- Cover the dough generously with sliced 2 ½ pounds fresh apricots, cut side up. If the apricots are tart, sprinkle them with about two tablespoons of granulated sugar. Finally, sprinkle the apricots with crumbles.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to
360 °F and bake the cake for 35 minutes. Once done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet. - Before serving, cut the cake into slices about 3 inches wide. If it isn't sweet enough for your taste, you can dust it with 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes about 10-20 slices, depending on their size.
- I kneaded the dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook. Experienced bakers can knead yeast dough by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon, which requires more time and effort.
- I like to cut the apricots into smaller pieces so the baked cake is easier to slice and enjoy. The number of apricots needed varies based on the size of your baking sheet. I used a 11x14-inch baking sheet for this recipe.
- The cake will keep at room temperature for up to three days. If stored in the fridge, it lasts for five to seven days. The cake also freezes well. After cooling, slice it, transfer the pieces to a sealable container, and place them in the freezer. Use within three months.
Jana says
Mozem pouzivat zavarane ovocie ked nemam cerstve?
Petra Kupská says
Ano, jen ovoce nechte řádně okapat a už jej nesypte cukrem.
Melinda Grohman says
Is it possible to make this with dried apricots? I really enjoy your recipes . They remind me of the wonderful goodies my Czech grandmother made. Thanh you for talking the time to share the recipes on the internet. Your boys do a great job of translating.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Ahoj Melinda, thank you for asking - it is possible to use dried apricots but you will need to soak them (for example in wine, apple juice) for about 15 minutes first.
Hope this helps!
Janet says
Tastes like summer! My grandmother used to make this with plums or sweet cherries but apricot is my favorite.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you for commenting, Janet!
Greetings from the Czech Republic.
Elinor Fischer says
Do you have a recipe for cookies with cream cheese pastry, chopped nuts with cinnamon, rolled up into little crescents and dipped into powdered sugar? A friend from Slovakia used to make them. Thanks.
Eva Friedner says
Two of my favorite Czech foods are Švestkový koláč and Švestkový Knedliky. My mother used to make them and now I do. My brother drives 2-3 hours to my house just to savor these foods. I’m glad to know that I can use apricots as well because it has been very difficult to find the Italian Prune plums. Some years, there are none to be found.
I also make a cherry cake called bublanina.
Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs says
Your brother sure is lucky to have you. The fact that he drives hours just to enjoy them, that says everything about how special they are (and how good your cooking must be!).
Bublanina really is such a simple, beautiful cake, full of summer flavor. There’s nothing quite like it!
Happy baking!
Mary Mason says
My mother used to make this with peaches but I never got the recipe. It's peach season in Michigan so I was thinking of it and then I found this recipe. It turned out exactly like Mom used to make and the whole family - husband, daughter, son-in-law and 4 grandkids (ages 4 to 13) - loved it. I'm not an expert but kneaded it by hand and it turned out great. Thanks for giving me the recipes for childhood foods made by my Bohemian grandmother and my first generation mother and aunts!
Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs says
Thank you so much for sharing this,it truly made my day! I am so happy to hear the recipe brought back something you thought was lost. That’s one of the reasons I love sharing these traditional dishes. It’s wonderful that the whole family enjoyed it, what a perfect way to celebrate peach season and honor your family's Bohemian roots.
Wishing you many more delicious moments in the kitchen with your loved ones!