Plum Cake Recipe
If you are seeking plum recipes I would recommend this delicious plum cake. I made the recipe after being lucky enough to gather many plums from a plum tree that would otherwise have gone to waste. Stewed Plums is an easy delicious dessert and Plum Crumble is lovely for a Sunday dinner pudding – so I needed a Plum Cake for afternoon tea!
This recipe for plum cake is a straightforward cake recipe made with fresh plums and with some ground almond in the mix too as almonds go so well with plums. Ideal for tea time or as a packed lunch treat!
Plum Cake is a delicious tea time treat with the extra nutritional benefits of juicy plums. Easy to make too!
Plums
There are many different types of plums. Wikipedia tells us that it may have been one of the forest fruits cultivated by humans. I tend to think of plums as very British and I tend to use locally harvested but the biggest producer of plums is China.
Plums have many health properties. They are renowned for their fibre content – especially in their dried form as prunes. They are also high in vitamin C. They are low GI and are even said to lower cholesterol and blood sugar (but possibly not when eaten in a cake!) They are of course at their healthiest when eaten just as nature provided them.
I also looked up why Christmas pudding is often called plum pudding and discovered it is because the Victorians used to call raisins plums. I guess it must be the association with dried fruit as in prunes being a bit like really large raisins (I am of course guessing here)
Making Plum Cake
I cooked the plum cake in a 2lb loaf tin. It seems more appropriate to do it as a loaf but you could do it in a round cake tin. I have a silicon loaf tin – like this WellBake Large Loaf Pan, 21cm x 10cm (2lb). Heavy Duty Non-Stick Silicone Bakeware + 10 Year Guarantee which means there is no need to grease the cake – and it pops out with no problem. Great for bread-making too!
I just put all the ingredients – apart from the plums – into a big bowl and mixed together all at once.
Plum Cake
Ingredients
- 175g / 6oz self-raising flour
- 55g / 2oz ground almonds
- 175g / 6oz butter
- 150g / 5oz caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 300g /10oz plums, stoned and chopped
Cooking Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
- Grease a 2lb loaf tin (unless using a silicon tin that doesn’t need greasing)
- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl
- Beat with a wooden spoon or use an electric hand mixer
- Once the mixture is soft and thoroughly combined, fold in the plums, gently
- Transfer to the loaf tin
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when place din the centre of the cake
- Allow to cool then remove from loaf tin and place on a baking rack
- Serve when cool
- Store in an air tight container
- Eat within 3-4 days
Fely says
My loaf tin is 30cmlong – would be too big?
Penny says
Yes that does sound big. You need a 2lb loaf tin
Ange says
I enjoyed this cake so much. It’s lovely, tasty and light. I’m going to make it again tomorrow with the last of my Victoria plums. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you for sharing it.
Penny says
Thank you – I am so glad you enjoyed it so much!
Christine says
I didn’t make two plum loaf cakes Penny… I’m going to make the second one this evening ?
I must say that it was really delicious, it didn’t last long; my husband loved it, and it will be one that I will be making quite regularly… I am going to make another at the weekend and I will be using blueberries… have you any thoughts or suggestions please?
I’m assuming that you could use virtually any fruit in this recipe?
Is there any need to add bi-carb or salt?
Sorry for all the questions Penny ?
Penny says
I think blueberries will work well. Let me know if you try it. No need for any additions, I think
Christine Flint says
II have enough plums for 2 of these loaf cakes…
My question is :-
Can this cake be frozen and is it best to freeze the cake whole or sliced??
Thank you ?
Penny says
It can be frozen. It is best frozen whole but if you want portions – wrap the slices up individually in plastic freezer bags and seal well. Hope that helps and you enjoy your plum cake!
Anonymous says
Thank you very much Penny…
I am just making it now ☺️?
I will wrap securely in cling film and put the individual slices into a freezer bag…
Thanks again ?
Christine Flint says
Thank you very much Penny…
I am just making it now ☺️?
I will wrap securely in cling film and put the individual slices into a freezer bag…
Thanks again ?
Gillian Davis says
Brilliant easy recipe had enough plums to make two now for the tasting will becoming this very often Thank you x
Clare Walton says
I had a surfeit of plums from my daughter’s garden and just wanted a simple recipe. I found yours. It behaved perfectly and tasted lovely. So I’ve made another one today- not for me of course!
Seriously, although I have always baked, I find nowadays that there may be many recipes available but some have unfamiliar ingredients and it’s not easy to pop to the supermarket due to Covid. Thank you Penny.
Penny says
Thank you for saying. I agree that recipes are often too complicated for every day cooking!
Janet Sidney says
So easy and so tasty, I’m sure it will be a family favourite from now on.
Penny says
So glad you enjoyed it 🙂