A Plum Cake without Plums!

Growing up in Pune, India, I have fond memories of relishing the plum cake my parents would bring home from a local bakery every Christmas. Ironically, as I learned much later in life, those Christmas Plum Cakes didn’t have any plums! So, this year, when our backyard tree yielded a bountiful harvest of summer plums, I decided to bake a plum cake with real plums. As always, I added my own special touches to a really good recipe I found online, resulting in a scrumptious and absolutely delicious Nutmeg-Scented Orange Almond Plum Cake that my family and friends devoured.

celebrating backyard bounty

Over eight years ago, when we moved into our current house, my husband and I planted a special grafted tree in our yard. It’s truly a marvel that blesses us alternately with peaches, nectarines, and plums every year. This summer, we harvested a bounty of the most succulent and sweet plums ever!

After sharing these delights with loved ones, I felt inspired to preserve their essence in a special creation to celebrate the abundance from our fruitful tree’s latest yield. Inspired by the gorgeous hues and sweet-tart flavors of our backyard harvest, I baked a plum cake that embodies the delightful flavors of summer.

Nutmeg-scented Orange Almond Plum Cake

My recipe detours significantly from the original one I discovered online. Rather than using Italian plums, I showcase our homegrown summer plums, which add a burst of sweet-tart flavor and juicy goodness to the cake’s texture. Of course, you can use the plums you find at your local farmers market or grocery store. The beautiful reddish-purple color of the plums bleeds into the crumb, making it visually stunning as well. Additionally, I add a hint of warmth with ground nutmeg and a citrusy tang of orange to elevate the original recipe.

The Spice Pairings

Nutmeg complements the sweet-tart flavor of the plums perfectly, much like it does with blackberries in my Brackberry Ice Cream. Of course, you can play with other warm-sweet spices like cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, all spice, etc. which also work well with fruits that have similar flavor profiles.

The Citrus Notes

Nutmeg enhances the orange juice in the cake even more. Instead of using lemon zest and juice as in the original recipe, I chose orange zest and juice for my wet ingredients. In baking, I find that orange juice, being less acidic than lemon juice, helps make the cake lighter and fluffier. Its sweet-tangy flavor also imparts a unique floral sweetness to baked goods. I would not recommend limes but feel free to experiment with sweeter Meyer lemons or blood oranges for the citrus flavor in the cake.

Other Flavor Enhancers

Instead of vegetable oil as the original recipe suggests, I use a fruity California olive oil that adds a pleasantly mellow fruity flavor and helped achieve the soft, moist texture of the cake. Melted butter or ghee will work too and add more richness to the overall flavor of the cake. Additionally, to emphasize the almond flavor, I use almond milk in my recipe. Lastly, I also adjusted the proportion of almond flour to all-purpose flour to be 50-50.

Celebration of the Season

This aromatic and moist cake is perfect for showcasing the bounty of the summer season. I used my backyard summer plums, but feel free to experiment with other summer fruits like peaches, nectarines, apricots, and even berries! Whatever summer fruit you choose, I promise each slice will offer a symphony of flavors that captures the essence of the season, making it a centerpiece for any occasion.

I have outlined step-by-step details below that you can follow and easily whip up this signature concoction in your own kitchen.

Orange Almond Plum Cake

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• Author: Vasanti
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

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Description

A rich, moist and aromatic cake bursting with sweet-tart fresh summer plums—a perfect treat for any occasion.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x3x

Special Equipment

• 8 or 9 inch springform pan (alternatively you can use 8 or 9 inch round cake pan lined with parchment paper)
• baking or oil spray for the cake pan (alternatively use a pastry brush to grease the pan with oil)

Dry Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup blanched almond flour (see FAQs & Notes)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (see Variations)

Wet Ingredients

• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (see FAQs & Notes)
• 1/2 cup almond milk (see FAQs & Notes)
• 1/4 cup almond extract (see FAQs & Notes)
• 1/2 navel or Valencia orange, zested and juiced
• 3/4 – 1 cup sugar (see FAQs & Notes)

Topping

• 10–12 fresh, ripe plums, cut in half and pitted (see FAQs & Notes + Variations)
• 1/3–1/2 cup sliced almonds (raw or toasted unsalted)
• powdered or confectioners sugar for dusting before serving

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease the cake pan with baking or oil spray.
• Place all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
• Whisk to combine them well.
• Place all the wet ingredients, except the sugar, in a large bowl.
• Whisk to combine them well.
• Finally gently pour in the sugar. 
• Whisk vigorously, for 4-5 minutes, making sure the sugar is well combined and most of the sugar granules are not visible.
• Gently add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mixture.
• Whisk until well combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. 
• Arrange the plum halves, cut side up, on top of the batter.
• Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top.
• Place the cake pan over a baking sheet (if using a springform pan) to prevent any leaks and transfer in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes till a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake cook over the baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes (as there might be some fruit juice that leaks from the springform pan as the cake continues to cool).
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 20-30 minutes.
• Remove the ring from the pan and dust the cake with powdered sugar.
• Transfer the cake along with the bottom of the pan onto a cake stand or serving platter.
• Transfer the cake along with the bottom of the pan onto a cake stand or serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature (see FAQs & Notes for storage information)
• Cut into wedges to serve and dust it with more powdered sugar, if you want. You can also serve à la mode.