Plumcake Recipes

LATE SUMMER PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. (Alternatively, the cake may be made in a 9-inch cake pan or pie pan and served directly from the pan.)
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. (Note: the batter will be quite thick.)
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Arrange the plums on top, skin side up, in a circular pattern so that they mostly cover the batter. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the plums.
• Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until golden on top and set in the center.
• When the cake is hot out of the oven, run a knife around the edges of the pan and then remove the springform edge, leaving the base in place (if using a springform pan). Let the cake cool on a rack completely. Slice and serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
• Note: This cake keeps well, loosely covered at room temperature, for several days.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9-inch tube pan.
• Separate the eggs. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg yolks and the lemon zest.
• Stir together the flour and baking powder and then blend the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Gently fold in the egg whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. There will only be a little over an inch of batter. Arrange the plums, skin side down, attractively over the batter.
• Bake in preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool before serving.

GERMAN PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar, vanilla, egg, lemon peel, sour cream and salt (if desired).
• Mix the flour and baking powder and add that into the mixture.
• Grease the base of a round baking pan and spread the dough over the pan.
• Liberally spread plums over the dough.
• To make the optional topping, cream the butter, add flour, sugar and cinnamon.
• Sprinkle over the plums and bake for 30-45 minutes in the middle rack at 375 F.
• Be careful not to let the bottom burn!
• Serve with lots of freshly-made whipped cream.
• If you like, you may also sprinkle rum or cinnamon over the fruit before baking.

ORIGINAL PLUM TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
• Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
• Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)

GINGERY PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 23cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Butter the paper generously and sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Halve the plums and arrange in the base of the tin in 1 layer, cut-sides down.
• For the cake, melt the butter, muscovado sugar and syrup in a large pan over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool for 10 mins, then stir in the eggs and milk. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then mix to a smooth batter.
• Pour the batter into the tin, over the plums, and bake for 45-55 mins until firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Will keep in the fridge, wrapped in baking parchment and foil, for up to 5 days.

PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-by-2-inch or a 9-inch cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated; beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Beat in half the flour mixture, then sour cream. Add remaining flour mixture; mix just until combined.
• Spread batter into pan and smooth top with a knife. In a bowl, toss plums with 2 tablespoons flour and sprinkle over batter.
• Bake until cake is golden, about 30 minutes; loosely tent with foil and bake until cake pulls away from side of pan and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes more. Let cake cool completely in pan. Run knife around cake edge and remove cake from pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

VIENNESE PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well., Transfer to a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with plums. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over plums., For topping, in a small bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts if desired. Sprinkle over top., Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until topping is golden brown and plums are tender. Cool on a wire rack.

PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan with butter.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Mix in the zest and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan.
• Place half of the cut plums on the batter, cut-side up. Spread the remaining batter over the plums. Spread the batter into an even layer and top with remaining plums.
• To make the topping: In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and melted butter. You may have to mix it with your hands to get all the butter incorporated.
• Spread the crumb topping over the plums evenly.
• Place the cake on two stacked cookie sheets, to prevent the bottom from getting too brown during the long baking time. Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a tester come out clean. Cool on a rack.
• Serve it slightly warm or at room temperature.

PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan. Use a fork to beat the egg with 1/4 cup water in a small bowl until combined.
• Put the flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is uniform. Drop in the butter cubes, toss with a fork to coat in the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture is crumbly and moist, about 8 long pulses. Add half of the egg mixture and process about 15 seconds. Add the remaining egg mixture and process an additional 15 seconds. The batter should be homogenous but not too thick. (Don't worry if it curdles a bit because of the brown sugar. It won't affect the batter.)
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Very lightly press the plums into the batter. Bake until the plums are tender and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly and serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

PLUM SKILLET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-inch ovenproof skillet(preferably cast-iron); dust with flour, tapping out excess.Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar with a mixeron medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg. Addflour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk.
• Pour batter into prepared skillet, and smooth topwith an offset spatula. Fan plums on top, and sprinkle withremaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until goldenbrown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes outclean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly.