Quick plum cake: delicious recipes for easy, fruity desserts!

With their high levels of antioxidants, plums may improve overall heart health, support the digestive system, boost the immune system, and reduce the risk of diabetes. So, if you bake a cake with such a useful fruit, you can actually say that you baked a healthy dessert for your loved ones! A quick plum cake is a tasty option for your late summer menu and is easy to make at home. Check out our suggestions!

Quick plum cake recipe

Ingredients:

• 180g all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
• 200g plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 120g milk (low-fat is good)
• 500g plums, pitted and quartered

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C and place a baking sheet in the middle position.
• Grease the baking tray (alternatively, the cake can be baked in a springform pan and served directly from the pan).
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl.
• Beat the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low until well combined.
• Gradually add the flour mixture alternating with the milk and beat on low speed until the batter is smooth (Warning: the batter will be quite thick).

• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Arrange the plums in a circle, skin-side up, so that they almost completely cover the dough. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the plums.
• Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until cake is golden on top and firm in the center.
• When the cake comes out hot, run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove the rim of the pan, leaving the bottom in place (if using a pan).
• Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
• Cut into slices and serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if you like.

Plum crumb cake recipe

For the crust:

• 220 grams all-purpose flour
• 120 grams cold butter, cut into cubes
• 50 grams powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

For the filling:

• 1 kg plums
• 250 grams plum or cherry juice
• 100 grams granulated sugar
• 2 vanilla pudding packages cook and serve type (not instant) like dr. Oetker
• 100 grams water

For the topping:

• 90 grams butter, melted
• 130 grams all-purpose flour
• 60 grams granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Crust:

• In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt.
• Pulse a few times to combine, add butter and continue to pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then add egg and lemon zest. Pulse again until the mixture sticks together then tip onto the work surface and knead the pastry two or three times to make it smooth. It should come together easily without being sticky. Flatten the ball slightly with your hands to form a thick disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Filling:

• For the filling wash, halve and stone the plums. In a large pot pour plum/cherry juice and add sugar. Bring to a boil, add the plums and simmer for about 5 minutes. Dissolve 2 packages of vanilla pudding in 100 ml water until smooth and lump-free. Add to the plums while stirring constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes until thick, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Topping:

• For the crumble melt butter and leave to cool slightly. Mix with remaining ingredients and rub with your fingers to coarse crumble. Chill.
• Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease 23cm springform.
• Assemble: Take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften. On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 28 cm  circle, and line the bottom and the edges of the springform with the rolled dough, keep in mind that edges need to be at least 3 cm high.
• If you want the tart shell to look neater, then measure the bottom of the pan and cut a round piece of dough and place it at the bottom of the pan. For the sides, cut strips of dough, wide at least 3 cm. Place one strip at a time around the edge, pressing gently to stick them in place. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Spread plum filling over the prepared dough and sprinkle with crumble. Bake in a preheated oven for about 75 – 90 minutes, depending on your oven. Start checking after 1 hour. The crumble should be golden brown.

Late summer plum cake with cream

Ingredients:

• 250g plain flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
• 1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
• 200g golden syrup
• 2 heaped tablespoons thick honey
• 125g butter
• 125g light muscovado sugar
• 350g prunes
• 2 large eggs
• 240 ml milk

For the spicy plum jam topping:

• 5 plums
• 1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon ginger syrup
• double cream, to serve

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Line a 24cm square cake tin with baking paper.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, and ginger into a bowl.
• Gently heat the golden syrup, honey and butter in a pan until the butter and sugar melt. Stir in the Muscovardo sugar. Set aside and let cool slightly.
• Halve or quarter the plums if they are very large and remove the stone.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the milk and mix lightly with the whisk.
• Add the gold syrup mixture to the flour and mix together with a large metal spoon. Add the egg and milk and continue beating until you have a fluffy dough with no flour residue.
• Pour the batter into the lined cake pan, add the plums and bake for 30-35 minutes.
• For the topping, halve and stone the plums and add to the same pan you used to cook the syrup and honey. Add the sugar, butter and the syrup from a jar of crystallized ginger. Cover and let simmer.
• Serve the cake with the spiced plums and a dollop of double cream or double cream.