Description
This sumptuous Plum Cake features a moist, buttery base studded with fresh, juicy plums and topped with a crunchy cinnamon-infused crumble. Perfectly balanced with vanilla and lemon zest, this cake delivers layers of flavor and texture, ideal for teatime or dessert.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cake
- 125 grams / 3/4 cup + 1 teaspoon plain flour
- 4 grams / 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 125 grams / 2/3 cup superfine/caster sugar
- 2 grams / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 grams / 1 teaspoon lemon zest finely chopped
- 125 grams / 4.4 ounces butter, softened
- 110 grams / 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 800 grams / 1.76 pounds plums, washed and halved
Crumble Topping
- 150 grams / 1 cup + 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 100 grams / 1/2 cup superfine/caster sugar
- 100 grams / 3.5 ounces butter, cubed and softened
- 1 gram / 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the tin: Preheat your oven to 180C/350F and greaseproof a 20 cm (8 inch) springform cake tin to ensure easy removal of the cake after baking.
- Mix dry ingredients for the cake: In a bowl, combine the plain flour and baking powder, stirring well to distribute the leavening evenly throughout the flour.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the superfine sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, softened butter, and eggs to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until a smooth batter forms with no dry ingredients remaining at the bottom of the bowl.
- Assemble the cake base: Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and level it out evenly. Carefully press the halved plums, cut side down, evenly into the batter to ensure uniform distribution.
- Prepare the crumble topping: In a separate bowl, mix the plain flour, caster sugar, and ground cinnamon. Add the softened butter and cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the crumble topping and bake: Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the plums in the cake tin. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 50 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the tin before carefully removing the springform sides. Slice and serve to enjoy the perfect balance of tender cake, juicy plums, and crunchy topping.
Notes
- Vanilla extract and lemon zest: Both ingredients are key flavor enhancers adding depth and brightness to the cake; it’s best not to omit either to maintain the intended flavor profile.
- Fresh plums: Using fresh plums is ideal as they provide balanced sweetness; frozen plums can be used but should be defrosted and drained thoroughly to remove excess moisture.
- Cake tin choice: A 20 cm (8 inch) springform cake tin is recommended for easy removal, but a standard cake tin of similar size can also be used.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 90 grams)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 24 grams
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 17 grams
- Saturated Fat: 10 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 37 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
