Fresh Plum Cake – A Spicy Perspective

Fresh Plum Cake – A rust yet elegant cake that is easy to make and easy to love! Serve it in the summer with seasonal plums, and around the holidays.

My kids love to be in the kitchen. I don’t blame them! The aromas wafting from the oven are hard to beat. There’s not another room I’d rather be in…

The other morning we woke up and shuffled downstairs to our usual weekend morning routine. Breakfast, lounging around in our jammies, talking about what we are going to do the rest of the day…

On this particular day, the kids wanted to bake!

We didn’t even bother changing out of our jammies. We headed straight for the pantry to assess our options. Chocolate chips? No. Shredded coconut? No. Peanut butter? No.

What was this kitchen coming to???

All the essential elements for our favorite go-to treats were missing. We took a breath and regrouped.

We had fresh summer plums, butter, sugar, and flour. A Fresh Plum Cake in the making. I could tell we were on our way to greatness.

Plenty of “kiddy treats” make their debut at our house. You know the kind… Rice crispy treat variations, cookies decorated like zoo animals, candy suspended in jello. (You should see some of the things we crank out around Halloween.)

Yet it’s nice to teach children some classic, and slightly more sophisticated recipes. They pick up baking techniques quickly and appear to enjoy the mature desserts just as much.

Plus, these are recipes they can take with them throughout life; a springboard to greater meals and ideas. A little token of mommy.

Ingredients Checklist

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
• 2 extra large eggs, or 2 large + 1 egg white
• 6-8 fresh plums

How To Make This Plum Cake Recipe

Instructions…

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the bottom disk of an 8-9 inch springform pan. Fasten the ring around the disk with the parchment paper secured in between. Cut off the excess paper. Grease the sides of the pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.

In the electric mixer, cream 1 cup of sugar with the butter. Add the eggs one at a time. Slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl and mix again.

Spread the cake batter evenly in the prepared pan. Slice the plums into eighths. The easiest way I’ve found to do this, is to run a knife around the plum to halve it, then do the same to quarter it. Split each quarter in half. The little sections should pop off the pit with your knife.

Place the plum slices around the top of the cake in a pretty pattern. Make sure they are close together. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice over the plums. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Make SURE not to overbake! Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, and another 10 minutes out of the pan before serving!

Get The Full (Printable) Fresh Plum Cake Recipe + Video Below.

Type of Plums/Fruit Available

This particular Fresh Plum Cake is great for summer stone fruits such as plums, peaches, and apricots, yet with a rustic quality that carries through to fall.

A hearty, yet elegant cake that needs no cream or sauce to perfect it.

The plums add a juicy tang to this dense buttery cake, so it’s flavorful enough to stand alone.

That makes this Fresh Plum Cake a perfect dessert to take to a barbecue or summer party when stone fruit is fresh and in season. This is just the kind of dessert I’d wrap up and put in my picnic basket for an evening concert at the park. No hassle, big impact.

You can also make Fresh Plum Cake, with peaches or apricots instead of plums!

Frequently Asked Questions

What If I Don’t Have Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of mostly cinnamon, then a little ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. You can mix a small amount for this recipe, or just use cinnamon instead. (You can also use apple pie spice!)

How Long Does This Dessert Last?

You can store the cake leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, and up to 3 days at room temperature. You can also store it in an airtight container (or wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil) in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

How Do I Serve This Dessert? 

This cake is amazing as-is, or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Other Great Cake Recipes

Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages.

Share This Recipe With Friends!