Plum Almond Cake
This is a dense and rustic honey almond cake with plums. The ground nuts give it texture, honey adds sweetness, and the sourness of the fresh plums balances it all. Don't expect a spongy cake with some fruit.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons runny honey
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup ground almonds or almond flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3-4 red plums stoned and each half in fourths
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180°C).
- Line and butter an 8-inch round with a removable bottom (springform pan) or square cake pan lined with parchment paper.
- Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large bowl.
- Add ⅔ cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons runny honey. Mix well with an electric mixer.
- Add 1 egg, ½ teaspoon almond extract,1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Mix well until creamy.
- Add ¾ cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup ground almonds (or almond flour) in 2 or 3 parts, mixing well, but not too much.
- Spread the almond cake batter in the prepared pan and arrange 3-4 red plums on top.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes almost clean (this is a very moist cake so it will not be completely dry).
- Let cool completely on a wire rack.
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.
Flour: I used to make this with superfine whole wheat flour. It makes a much denser and rustic cake. You can use half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour if you want a different texture.
Storing: 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 fruits like peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries.
