Spiced Plum Cake

My favorite part of cake is the frosting. Scratch that, the only part of cake I like is the frosting. Here I am though, sharing this Spiced Plum Cake recipe which has not one ounce of frosting. Not one teeny, tiny bit. I have to say I might have misjudged cake. Perfectly sweet, fresh juicy fruit, warm aromatic spices & a moist cake texture. It is the perfect way to transition between summer and fall. I mean this would be great at any time of year.

While this Spiced Plum Cake is tasty, it’s also fun to make. Think of it as an upside down cake, but well, right-side up. When cutting the plums, it is best to have a uniform thickness to the slices. Once you have sliced them up you then get to layer them in any pattern or design you see fit. You could do circles, a zig zag pattern, opposing directions, you name it. Try to ensure that the plums slightly overlap and cover the entire cake surface. You may still have some of the cake batter bubble up, but the tighter the overlap the easier it will be to maintain your pretty design.

Let’s talk plums for a moment. I feel like they get a bit of a bad rap. Maybe it’s that when dried they become prunes and let’s be honest have been marketed towards an older generation for digestive issues. That marketing has not done them justice. Plums contain many nutrients and yes, that fiber too. There are even studies that show how they can help to lower anxiety. It sounds like maybe you can have your cake and eat it too.

Excited to try more vegan desserts? Here are a few others to check out…

Strawberry Chocolate Tart Pastry

Mixed Berry Galette

Blackberry Shortcakes

Print Recipe

Spiced Plum Cake

This Spiced Plum Cake with ripe summer fruit & warm autumn spices is the perfect sweet way to transition between the seasons.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Keyword: baking, cake, plums, vegan

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4-5 plums, sliced
• 1/2 cup vegan butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2-3 tbsp brown sugar optional topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 8' cake tin with parchment paper (or spritz with cooking spray).
• In a large bowl cream together vegan butter, sugar & vanilla extract. Stir in the non-dairy milk until combined.
• Add the flour, baking powder cinnamon & pumpkin spice to the batter & gently stir until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the cake tin & smooth out to ensure the batter is level.
• Half the plums. Remove the pits. Slice each plum half into thin, even slices. Arrange plums slices on top of the batter (see notes for pattern ideas).

  Optional: Sprinkle 2-3 tbsp of brown sugar on top of plum slices.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven & let cool.

  Serve by the slice & sprinkle with powdered sugar, whipped coconut cream or ice cream to up the dessert level.

Notes

Plums:  When choosing plums you may want to go for that just ripe texture.  You want them to be ripe enough that they have begun to sweeten, but want them to still have a slightly firm texture to hold up when baking.

Patterns: Feel free to arrange the plums in any pattern you desire.  You could do circular patterns, zig zag pattern, opposing directions, you name it.  Try to cover the cake in it’s entirety, overlapping the plum slices slightly.  The cake may still bubble up in some spots but for the most part your pattern should hold up during the cooking process.

Taste test:  Give the batter a tiny taste test before you pour into the cake tin.  This way you can add more spices if needed.

Enjoy!