This recipe for plum cake will give you a beautiful, melt-in-your-mouth plum-flavored cake. Made with fresh, juicy plums, almond flour, and a little bit of whole wheat flour, this is an easy and impressive summer dessert!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
A beautifully simple plum cake that celebrates the season’s bounty with juicy plums. This rustic dessert is equally perfect for casual afternoon tea or an elegant dinner party finale.
There’s something magical about baking with fresh plums. As they bake, they transform into jammy pockets of sweet-tart perfection, their juices bleeding into the cake to create stunning ruby swirls. This cake harnesses that magic while keeping things delightfully simple.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Plum Cake
- Summer Tastes: This plum cake is made with almond flour, which pairs perfectly with juicy, ripe summer plums.
- Very Easy: It’s easy to make and has a just-sweet-enough flavor and a dense, moist texture. Plus, it’s made in a food processor!
- Make Ahead: The cake gets even better the next day as the flavors deepen.
- Beautiful & Versatile: It’s rustic yet elegant, perfect for any occasion
🍰 I remember a plum cake recipe from my childhood that felt like it was summer in a cake so of course I make this cake every summer!
Zoe Bakes Cakes Cookbook
This cake recipe comes from Zoe’s new cookbook, Zoe Bakes Cakes. It’s a feel-good cookbook that any home baker will love. There’s a fantastic section of the book called Cake Academy that’s filled with great advice on making cakes, including a Baking at High Altitudes section.
Zoe included the section so you can learn more and geek out on the science behind the techniques she uses in the cookbook.
There are also photos of every single cake in the book! It was very difficult to choose which one to make first, but Zoe’s headnote said that this was her favorite in the cookbook. And we can easily see why.
This cake has a buttery and sweet flavor that’s both fruity and warming. It also turns a beautiful pink color as it bakes, so everyone is impressed when you slice this cake open.
Disclosure: I received Zoe Bakes Cakes from the publisher for review, but the opinions expressed are always my own.
Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Almond flour
- Whole-wheat flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Fresh plums
- Cinnamon
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Plum Cake
Note: This cake recipe is made in a food processor, not a traditional mixer, so it blends up in minutes.
Step 1: Before you start making the cake, be sure to thoroughly grease and line your springform pan with parchment paper. I cut a round of parchment for the bottom. Then I cut two strips for the inside edge of the pan.
You can also use one large piece of parchment and press it into the pan and up the sides. Just make sure that you press it well to the side, so your cake doesn’t have creases.
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Step 2: In a food processor, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla and process until smooth. Add all three flours, the baking powder, and salt and mix together by pulsing several times, just until smooth.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles. Add the plums in a spiral on top of the batter.
Step 3: I cut the plums into 6 to 8 small wedges instead of quartering them. If you choose to quarter them, you may need 6 to 8 plums to cover the cake nicely depending on the size of the plums.
When arranging the plums, I started from the outside and worked toward the inside, placing them flesh side up.
Step 4: Set the pan on a baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes.
Step 5: To make the topping: in a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Carefully sprinkle the topping over the baked cake and then dot with the butter.
Continue baking until the cake is golden and a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then run a knife around the edge. Remove the sides of the springform and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Recipe Variations
Extra Nutty: Add ½ cup chopped almonds to the batter for additional texture.
Stone Fruit Swap: This recipe works beautifully with other stone fruits like apricots, peaches, or nectarines.
Gluten-Free Version: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Winter Version: Use frozen plums, thawed and patted dry.
Recipe FAQs
You can use either red or yellow plums for the recipe. The red plums will bleed into the cake for a gorgeous fuchsia color.
Don’t worry – some sinking is normal and even desirable in this type of cake! However, if you find they’re sinking too much, try these tips: Make sure your batter isn’t too thin – it should be thick enough to hold the fruit; toss the plum slices in a tablespoon of flour before arranging them; and don’t cut the plums too thick, as heavier pieces are more likely to sink.
This is a common issue with fruit-topped cakes and easily fixed. First, if you notice the top browning too quickly during baking, loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil – this will prevent the top from getting too dark while allowing the center to finish cooking. Also, make sure you’re baking in the middle rack of your oven. If you’re still having issues, your oven might be running hot. Try reducing the temperature by 25°F and extending the baking time slightly.
Expert Tips
- Choose plums that are ripe but still firm. Over-ripe plums will release too much liquid during baking.
- Room temperature eggs will incorporate more easily and help your cake rise better.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before releasing the springform sides.
- A dusting of powdered sugar just before serving adds an elegant touch
Serving, Storing & Make-Ahead Tips
Serving Suggestions
When your cake is done baking, be gentle when removing the side of the springform pan from the cake. The cake can stand on its own just fine but a warm cake can be a little fragile.
This cake is delicious at room temperature, it’s amazing served warm, and it also is one of those special cakes that improves with time as the flavors blend together.
We agree with Zoe that a fresh dollop of whipped cream is a wonderful compliment to this cake. Other options include:
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- A drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of toasted almonds
- A side of crème fraîche for a tangy contrast
Serve this cake with a cup of earl grey tea for afternoon entertaining or fresh mint tea for a light and refreshing combination.
Storage Guidelines
Store leftover cake tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to three days at room temperature. You can freeze leftovers for up to two months.
- At room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days
- In the refrigerator for up to 5 days
- In the freezer (well-wrapped) for up to 2 months
My Favorite Summer Dessert Recipes
I love making desserts with the fruits for each season—it’s one of the joys of seasonal living! Here are a few of my family’s favorites for the summer season:
- Angel Food Cake – perfect with any seasonal fruit!
- Strawberry Cake – I love making this for events because it’s always well-received.
- Raspberry Peach Cobbler – so quintessential summer
More Beautiful Cake Recipes to Consider
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we will send it straight to your inbox. Plus you will get great new recipes from us every week!
Plum Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake:
- 10 tablespoons 140 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup 102 ml whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup 120 g all-purpose flour
- ½ cup 60 g almond flour
- ¼ cup 35 g whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 plums cut into 6 or 8 pieces
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into ¼-inch cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan, then line the bottom and sides with greased parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla and process until smooth. Add all three flours, the baking powder, and salt and mix together by pulsing several times, just until smooth.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles. Add the plums in a spiral on top of the batter. Set the pan on a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 45 minutes.
- To make the topping: in a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
- Carefully sprinkle the topping over the baked cake and then dot with the butter.
- Continue baking until the cake is golden and a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then run a knife around the edge. Remove the sides of the springform and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- I made the following high altitude changes: reduced baking powder to ½ teaspoon, removed 1 tablespoon sugar from the 1 cup, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour. I baked it at 400° for 40 minutes and then baked it another 15 minutes after adding the topping.
- If your cake is browning too quickly but isn’t done in the center, tent it with foil for the remaining baking time. Every oven is different, so start checking for doneness around the 40-minute mark.
- Remember, this is a rustic cake – embrace its homemade charm! The plums will sink slightly, creating pockets of jammy goodness throughout the cake. That’s exactly what we want.
- You can use any variety of plums – red, black, or yellow. Red plums will give you that gorgeous pink color bleeding into the cake, while yellow plums offer a more subtle, honey-like sweetness. Just make sure they’re ripe but still firm. Italian prune plums work particularly well when in season.
Leave a Reply