- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 apricots, halved, pitted, cut into 1/4″ wedges
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar
- Special equipment: A standard 12-cup muffin pan
- Preheat oven to 350°. Coat muffin cups with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat until combined.
- With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Divide batter among muffin cups (cups will be only 1/3 full) and smooth tops. Top with apricot slices and sprinkle with raw sugar.
- Bake until cakes are golden and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let pan cool 5 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack and let cool completely.
- DO AHEAD: Cakes can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.