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Every so often I come across plums that are too good to just eat fresh and this is one of those recipes that came out of exactly that situation. A bigger haul than usual meant jam, a bowl of fruit on the counter, and this cake. Chopped plums go right into the batter, no peeling necessary, and the frosting is made with plum jam for an extra layer of flavor and a color that needs no food dye. It comes together faster than most cakes and is good enough for a birthday or casual enough for a picnic.
Quick Prep
Because the cake uses melted butter, it means you can get baking quickly. There’s no need to wait for butter to soften. In fact, the longest part of the prep in this cake is going to be the chopping of the plums.
If you decide to make the jam frosting, pull the butter out to soften while the cake bakes and cools.
No Need to Peel
I know that in most fresh summer fruit cakes, recipes call for peeling. I, personally, skip it most of the time. It just feels unnecessary to me. However, if you don’t like the peel by all means remove them.
Any Type of Plums
I used black plums in this cake but any kind you have on hand will work. Red, prune, yellow, etc. Truly use what you’ve got and enjoy it.
A Versatile Cake
This is a simple cake but make no mistake that it can easily serve as a delightful birthday cake.
The simple nature of it makes it perfect for potlucks or picnics, too.
Lightly Spiced
I wanted the plums to be the star of this cake. Still a little ginger goes well with plums and so there is just a hint of that in the cake. Skip that ginger completely if desired or go heavier as preferred.
Frosting Options
I had a little extra plum jam and decided to use it in the frosting here. It gives a gorgeous color and extra layer of flavor. A simple vanilla frosting would be delightful as well
However, skipping the frosting is an option.
A dusting of powdered sugar gives a little decoration without requiring any frosting.
Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream instead of frosting for an even quicker dessert.
Get more summer cake ideas for stone fruits, berries, and more.
Plum Cake with Plum Jam Frosting
Plum cake is the perfect combination of sweet and tart. It comes together quickly making it the ideal summer dessert to share.
Ingredients
Plum Cake
- 1/2 Cup Salted Butter, melted
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggs
- 1 1/2 Cups Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
- 2 Cups Plums, chopped
Plum Jam Frosting
- 1/4 Cup Salted Butter, softened
- 1/4 Cup Plum Jam
- 2 2/3 Cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Plum Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a 9" square cake pan.
- Whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. The batter will be slightly stiff.
- Fold in the chopped plums and mix well.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes. The cake will brown and an inserted toothpick will come out clean when done.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack. Frost, if desired, when completely cool.
Plum Jam Frosting
- Beat together the butter and jam until smooth. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add the remaining 2/3 cup of powdered sugar a little at a time until the desired, spreading consistency is reached.
- Spread on the top of the cooled cake.
I love the idea of the plum flavoured icing on top. Just my kind of cake
My frosting ended up really thick with only 2 c. powdered sugar so I added 2 Tbsp of milk. Is this supposed to be part of the recipe?
In my experience, the plum jam provides enough moisture but I suppose different kinds of jam might be stiffer than others so some milk might be necessary.