This is a dense and rustic plum cake. Ground almonds give it texture, honey adds sweetness, and the sourness of the fresh plums balances all. Don't expect a spongy cake with some fruit. Every flavor in this recipe owns its place.
Plums get all the credit for making the best-looking rustic cakes ever, don't they? And also tarts, let's not forget the all-time favorite crumble plum tart.
End of summer stone fruit always makes me rush into the kitchen for those last recipes with peaches and plums.
Plums, especially red ones, can be too sour or mushy, making them the perfect ingredient for lifting up a pie or cake.
A great example is this almond plum cake, which is dense, moist, and full of flavor. Very different from the classic vanilla cake with plums.
Prepare the plums
I mention this gadget every time I use plums in a recipe. The best and easiest way to pit plums is with an apple corer.
In the image below, left, you can see how the core comes off impeccably without much flesh attached if you use an apple corer. The plum is easily pitted, but not much harm is done to the fruit.
Have you ever tried to make a cut and open the plum in half by holding each side with your hands and moving in opposite directions? Not pretty. Most of the time part of the plums get crushed.
Cutting the fruit
I like to cut wedges that would fit in a bite. So I cut each half plum into 3 or 4 pieces.
That way, it's easier to eat at a picnic or summer gathering, even with your hands.
I like to make a circle and fill the center with extra wedges. The way the plums are arranged is irrelevant when it comes to flavor, but a pretty cake is always a good idea, it's more enticing.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Plums: I love red plums, but any type you like will work. Use firm ones, not soft overripen ones as they don't cut well or hold their shape.
- Honey: this is an important part. Don't be tempted to add more honey. The cake will take ages to bake completely, if ever. Learn from my experience. Any type of honey works, but runny is always easier to mix.
- Pan size: it is very important to use the pan specified in the recipe because otherwise, it might not bake properly. You can use a slightly larger pan (the cake will be shorter) but never smaller.
- Keeping: the cake keeps for a few days well, at room temperature. I find that refrigerating it dries it up too much for my taste. And it's not the ideal cake to freeze. You can of course, but I wouldn't recommend it highly. I like to eat it the day it is baked, two days at the most.
- Variations: this is a superb cake with other stone fruit - peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries.
Serving it
Make it in a square pan since this is a unique cake for a picnic, barbecue or potluck.
Square is always easier to cut and eat.
I like to serve it as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream. Slightly warm the cake before adding the ice cream, and wait for the oohs and aahs.
Related recipes you might like:
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Almond Plum Cake
This is a dense and rustic plum cake. Ground almonds give it texture, honey adds sweetness, and the sourness of the fresh plums balances all. Don't expect a spongy cake with some fruit. Every flavor in this recipe owns its place.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (85g) butter
- ⅔ cup (135g) fine muscovado or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons runny honey
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (95g) ground almonds, or almond flour
- ¾ cup (70g) superfine whole wheat flour
- 3-4 red plums (stoned and each half in fourths)
- Powdered sugar (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
- Line or butter an 8-inch round with removable bottom or square cake pan lined with parchment paper.
- Melt butter in a large bowl.
- Add sugar and honey. Mix well with a hand beater.
- Add egg, extracts, salt and baking powder. Mix well until creamy.
- Add flours in 2 or 3 parts, mixing well, but not too much.
- Pour into the prepared pan and arrange plum pieces on top.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until a tester comes almost dry (this is a very moist cake so it will not be completely dry).
- Let cool completely on wire rack.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on top (not too much) and serve.
Notes
- Plums: I love red plums, but any type you like will work. Use firm ones, not soft overripen ones as they don't cut well and don't hold their shape as well.
- Honey: this is an important part. Don't be tempted to add more honey. The cake will take ages to bake completely, if ever. Learn from my experience. Any type of honey works, but runny is always easier to mix.
- Pan size: it is very important to use the pan specified in the recipe because otherwise, it might not bake properly. You can use a slightly larger pan (the cake will be shorter) but never smaller.
- Keeping: the cake keeps for a few days well, at room t°. I find that refrigerating it dries it up too much for my taste. And it's not the ideal cake to freeze. You can of course, but I wouldn't recommend it highly. I like to eat it the day it is baked, two days at the most.
- Variations: this is a superb cake with other stone fruit - peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛
- Calories: 276
- Sugar: 19.2 g
- Sodium: 87.2 mg
- Fat: 15.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.6 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 5.6 g
- Cholesterol: 46.1 mg
Keywords: plum cake, plum almond cake
Wendy A. says
Very delicious plum cake! I made mine gluten free with all almond flour, and I didn’t have almond extract so I used rum extract, and it was divine!
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
Great to know it works with all almond flour!
Bobo says
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I brought some of this cake in a sailing trip and it was gone in literally under 30 seconds. I made it completely gluten free by substituting the wheat flour with Cup4Cuo flour. Addictive and outstanding.
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
So glad you liked it! And great tip about the gf substitution.
Prachi agrawal says
Hey please share the replacement of egg
Traci says
Absolutely gorgeous recipe and a must-have for plum season! Thanks for sharing this!
★★★★★
Heidy L. McCallum says
This is such a beautiful cake and it really sounds amazing! I bet my mom and grandmother would love this. I'm having them over for dinner this week so I think this might be perfect for dessert and coffee.
★★★★★
Ashley @ Sweetpea Lifestyle says
Thanks for the helpful tips!! I love plums, and I try to eat them any way I can!!
★★★★★
Shinta Simon says
What a gorgeous cake, I'd love to sink my teeth in that right now. Love your tip about using an apple corer!
★★★★★
Neha says
Oh my! Looks so tempting! I love almond cake but never paired it with plums. Trying it soon!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
This looks fantastic! Gorgeous colour and flavour, Paula.
David says
My favorite flavors! This is what I call a "single serving cake," because I could eat the entire thing in one sitting.
Paula Montenegro says
jaja, it happens to me too David!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I love almond cakes as well as plum cakes so I know that I will enjoy this recipe immensely. It will be one of the first desserts I make once I achieve my weight loss goal...it will be my reward. 😀
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
I love the combo too Karen! Reward yourself, by all means, jaja!