Late Summer Plum Cake
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Gently spiced, this jammy plum cake celebrates the summer-into-fall season. Serve it as a brunch cake or for dessert topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Taking a cue from Martha Stewart’s fresh strawberry cake—a favorite on this site—this plum cake is the perfect dessert for late summer when plums are at their prime. Tucked into the batter, the plums turn into rich, jammy pockets as they bake, while warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom add a hint of cozy fall flavors. Enjoy this dessert any time of day—plain and simple, or topped with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
What you’ll need to make Plum Cake
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by whisking the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt together in a large bowl.
Next, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine.
Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth.
Transfer the batter to a greased Springform pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Note that the batter is quite thick.
Arrange the plums on top, skin side up, in a circular pattern so that they cover most of the batter.
Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the plums.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until golden on top and set in the center.
When the cake is hot out of the oven, run a knife around the edges of the pan and then remove the springform edge (leave the base in place). Let the cake cool on a rack completely.
Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
You may also Like
- Fresh Peach Cake with Pecan Streusel
- Summer Strawberry Cake
- Blueberry Coffee Cake (aka Boy Bait)
- Plum Galette
Late Summer Plum Cake
Gently spiced, this jammy plum cake celebrates the summer-into-fall season. Serve it as a brunch cake or for dessert topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk (low-fat is fine)
- 1 pound plums, pitted and quartered
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. (Alternatively, the cake may be made in a 9-inch cake pan or pie pan and served directly from the pan.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. (Note: the batter will be quite thick.)
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Arrange the plums on top, skin side up, in a circular pattern so that they mostly cover the batter. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the plums.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until golden on top and set in the center.
- When the cake is hot out of the oven, run a knife around the edges of the pan and then remove the springform edge, leaving the base in place (if using a springform pan). Let the cake cool on a rack completely. Slice and serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
- Note: This cake keeps well, loosely covered at room temperature, for several days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 344
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Sugar: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 231mg
- Cholesterol: 55mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Have others had success using a non-springform pan for this recipe? (20+ years cooking in my own kitchen and I never remember to buy one!)
Hi Jenn, Made your peach cake last week, what a hit it was! My cardamon is almost as old as me and that’s saying something! I was going to replace it but when I saw the cost $14.99, I didn’t buy it. Is there something else to replace its wonderful flavor that would be as good or just leave it out altogether? Thanks. Sid
Sid, Glad you liked the peach cake! For this one, it’s fine to omit the cardamom ($14.99?!) – it will still be delish!
I’ve made this twice – the first time was perfection. The second time, for some reason, the plums sank all the way to the bottom of the cake rather than staying on the surface like they had the first time I made it. Can you think of what I may have done wrong? Perhaps I overmixed the batter?
Love your recipes Jen!
Hi Aleen, Glad you enjoyed it the first time around! If you found they sunk this time, the next time you make it, I’d cut them into slightly smaller pieces.
Oh em gee. This cake is just as delicious as it was easy to make. Sweet, tart, and just the right amount of spice. Thanks, Jen!
Hi Jenn!
Can I use a bunch of Prune Plums instead of the black plums?
Sure, I think that should work. Hope you enjoy!
I made this last year and loved it! I also made it with peaches and it was equally as amazing! My question is, do you think thinks could be made into cupcakes?
Thanks!
Sure 🙂
This is such a wonderful recipe, Thank you ! It always works perfectly, I make it with blood plums from my tree, and i have also made it with poached quince and raspberries.
So good! I bought way too many ripe plums & couldn’t stand the thought of them going to waste if we couldn’t eat them all right away. I used coconut milk instead of cow’s milk and had no problem. I didn’t have any eggs so I used a flax egg & this came out great! I did reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes and it was golden on the sides and bottom. Excited to try it with a real hen’s egg though 🙂 Great recipe, Jenn! I especially love the spices.
Turned out perfect! The cake itself it so good, I’ll use the same batter for a variety of fruits.
I love the way it looks, tastes, smells, and how perfect it turned out! The cardamom was a great touch. This has to be one of my fav summer desserts.