Late Summer Plum Cake
We're eying up the piece at 4 o'clock.
We used Italian prune plums but you should use whatever kind you like.
This plum got a gold star for the day, for willingly releasing its pit!
Creaming the butter and sugar, a task we never tire of.
We are serious students. Occasionally.
Once the butter and sugar are creamed, it's time for the eggs.
Next, some sour cream.
Vanilla and lemon zest for aroma.
Then the dry ingredients -- flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt -- mixed just until the mixture clumps like this. We finished mixing it by hand -- folding the batter together until...
After spreading half the batter into the prepared pan, Merrill sprinkled the top with brown sugar.
Next the fun part! Please note that Amanda added too many plums here. She later rearranged, but it looked messy and we don't like messy photos!
We spread the rest of the batter on top.
Added some more plums, this time cut-side-up -- you'll see why in a second.
One last showering of brown sugar.
Then the oven produces this little gem.
To get the cake out of the pan, Amanda set up a "pedestal."
She set the cake on top, pulled down the sides of the pan.
Eh, voila.
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Author Notes: I developed this recipe for my book, Farmers' Market Desserts. But because I tend to write long recipes, including all of the detail the reader might need, space ran short and this one fell victim to the editorial axe. A recent windfall of plums from a friend’s tree reminded me it was time to make this cake.
I originally developed the recipe using the small, dense-fleshed prune plums that come toward the end of summer. This time, my fruit bowl was filled with juicy Flavor Rosa and Yummy Rosa varieties, some still firm, others soft. With these larger plums, I needed only five or six of them, and because they were juicier, the cake took a bit longer to bake (and turned out seductively moist).
I have been on a lemon verbena kick ever since putting the plant in my herb garden. If you don’t have any, substitute a teaspoon of finely chopped fresh lemon balm or lemon thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest. - JSCooks - JSCooks
Food52 Review: Plums don't need much, just a pillowy batter to encase them, to catch their juices and a little sweetness to joust with their tartness. The batter for JSCooks's cake is scented with sour cream, vanilla and lemon. She uses lemon verbena leaves; we went for the substitute, lemon zest, and the cake did not suffer for it. Do go the extra mile and make whipped cream or buy some creme fraiche for serving. - A&M - A&M
Serves 8
- 1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 medium-size fresh lemon verbena leaves or 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
- 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cups sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- 12 small to medium, firm-ripe prune plums, halved lengthwise and pitted
- Lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with a rack in the lower third. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
- Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside. Stack the lemon verbena leaves (if using), roll up tightly lengthwise, and cut them crosswise into fine ribbons. You will want 2 to 3 packed teaspoons.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer), beat together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and reserved lemon verbena (or lemon zest) until well combined. On low speed, add the flour mixture just until combined. (The batter will be thick.)
- Spread half of the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and top with 12 of the plum halves, cut side down. Dollop and spread the remaining batter over the plums. Arrange the remaining 12 plum halves, cut side up, over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar over the plums.
- Bake until the cake is golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean (assuming you haven’t hit a plum), 50 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan front to back a little past halfway through baking. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake sides. Invert a flat plate over the pan. Using oven mitts if needed, grasp the plate and pan tightly together on both sides and invert the plate and pan to release the cake onto the plate. Lift off the pan and peel off the parchment. Invert the cake again onto a serving plate.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream, if desired.
- Your Best Recipe for Plums Contest Winner!
Tags: farmers market, fruit, seasonal
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7 months ago whmcdevitt
I've never had a chance to freeze it. it gets eaten so fast. i think it would do ok as long as you wrap it well and don't freeze it for to long. the fruit would get funky I believe!
7 months ago whmcdevitt
I've never had a chance to freeze it. it gets eaten so fast. i think it would do ok as long as you wrap it well and don't freeze it for to long. the fruit would get funky I believe!
7 months ago jacksonholefoodie
Thank you whmcdevitt. I'll give it a try!
7 months ago jacksonholefoodie
I came upon this recipe when faced with a case of rapidly ripening Italian prune plums. It is a winner. I substituted whole fat plain yogurt and increased it to 1 cup (because I live at high altitude and more moisture is needed), and added 1/4 cup almond meal. Has anyone successfully frozen this cake? I still have about 10 # plums left!!
8 months ago Franca
I made this with italian black plums from my dad's tree. My son couldn't get enough of it. Deliciously moist.
8 months ago JSCooks
Thanks so much for letting me know, Franca! I bet it was fabulous with those black plums.
8 months ago brooklyncook
I made this cake for the first time this summer -- a quart of farmer's market plums and the desire to not let them go to waste prompted a cruise through Food
52 -- and I have to tell you, this was amazing! I'm tempted to experiment a bit for different flavors jus for the fun of it but wanted to thank you for a fabulous cake!
8 months ago JSCooks
Oh, thank you so much, brooklyncook -- you made my day!
9 months ago Jane Eyrehead
My, that looks good and I shall make one tomorrow. Some years back Martha Stewart featured a plum upside down cake with black plums and red raspberries. It was delicious, but I like the layers of plums in this one.
Gosh, I sure like good food.
9 months ago Summer corn salad
This sounds incredible..I used to make a plum Pound cake using two jars of junior plums which i can no longer find..Anyone with a sugestion would be much aprieciated !!!
9 months ago Summer corn salad
This sounds incredible..I used to make a plum Pound cake using two jars of junior plums which i can no longer find..Anyone with a sugestion would be much aprieciated !!!
9 months ago cookingintheheights
just made this for the first time and it was absolutely BRILLIANT. pillowy, light cake and utterly delicious with the bright fruit. and very forgiving of my fudges. had only about 6 small plums on hand, and a pair of uber ripe peaches (which i peeled & cut into eighths). i used slightly less than 2/3 white sugar but the full quotient of brown sugar -- all of the later on top b/c i didn't bother trying to layer the fruit inside, i just plunked it all on the surface. my only other switch was greek yogurt rather than sour cream. am in heaven about this and will be making it again for sure! thank you thank you.
9 months ago JSCooks
Thanks so much, cookingintheheights -- I'm delighted it worked out so well for you. This is most certainly the perfect time for prune plums and I'm glad you're all reminding me it's time to bake a cake!
9 months ago Blynnk
I made this recipe (with lemon zest and regular vanilla) and Marian Burros's version (no changes). Both are no fail. Both are very tasty and similar but the textures are different. This version is heavy and dense, which I like for breakfast, so dense that it almost felt as though I were eating cheesecake. Burros's version came out light and fluffy, more like a cake. I will use both, but prefer Burros's version.
9 months ago JSCooks
Thanks for reporting back, Blynnk. They are indeed different cakes and I'm glad you like both enough to return to them. This one should be moist due to the sour cream but if it was like eating cheesecake it sounds like it was possibly underbaked? If you wanted to make it a little less rich, you could use light (but not nonfat) sour cream, or even Greek yogurt.
9 months ago Blynnk
My plum cake was not undercooked. I just meant that it had the sensation of cheesecake, because it was rather like a poundcake and cold since I'd stored it in the fridge. The other recipe produces a very airy cake in comparison. Again, they both have their charm. I have now passed on both recipes to several family members, who are trying them out! Thank you for your suggestion of using Greek yogurt. That sounds divine.
9 months ago JSCooks
Got it. Let us know how you like it with Greek yogurt if you try it!
over 1 year ago jstew52
This was terrific. Would be good even without fruit!
over 1 year ago rsfgs
Great recipe. Baked one of these up for a birthday potluck and it was perfect.
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
We made this for lunch today and added a couple of tablespoons of minced crystallized ginger. It made an amazing cake just that little bit more so. Thank you, this is so lovely.
over 1 year ago whmcdevitt
delicious!!!!!!!!!!
over 1 year ago JSCooks
Thanks so much, whmcdevitt! I am delighted to see people enjoying this before the last of the plums run their course. Last time I made it I used Kadota figs in the middle and prune plums on top and it was lovely.
over 1 year ago Robin O'D
JS Cooks, your cake was fabulous! I made it with the lemon zest and in a 9" springform and it tasted great. I have to say, I debated whether to make your cake or the Marion Burros plum torte once the prune plums showed up at the market. So, of course I had to make both! They were very different, but both very delicious. Your cake had more of a rich poundcake feel to it with a wonderful lemon flavor. I will be making both of these cakes many more times. Thank you.
over 1 year ago Umami
I made this under the assumption we would have guests for dinner. Big mistake--our invitees couldn't make it and my husband and I were left all alone with this completely irresistable cake.
I did make some changes--I reduced the sugar to 1/2 c and I think I would reduce it by a couple more tablespoons next time. My go-to recipe for prune plums is the flame plum tart from the Pie and Pastry Bible, which is amazing and uses just 1/3 of a cup and a ton more plums, so I think 3/4 c is a lot for this cake--it was still really sweet.
Another tweak that I highly recommend is replacing 1/2 c of the flour with almond flour. It was delish and makes for a nice crumb (I reduced the butter by a tablespoon or so to account for the extra fat). I used lemon zest--I'm not sure how the almond flour would taste with verbena.
All in all, a highly recommended cake--it's nice to have another recipe to look forward to during flame/prune/Italian plum season!
over 1 year ago JSCooks
Hi Umami -- I'm delighted you enjoyed the cake! At 2/3 cup (plus a little brown sugar for sprinkling) this cake has less sugar than most, but I have often made it with less sugar myself, as I tend to like my desserts gently sweet. Sugar plays a role greater than sweetness, but I often reduce it in recipes and rarely have a problem. The almond flour sounds interesting, too. I may have to try that!
over 1 year ago Alanka
I actually never baked before , but I saw picture of this plum cake and it reminded me of prum cakes in european coffeshops , so I couldnt resist trying it out . I had no expectations , but it turned out perfect ! My husband didnt believe I made it ! I served it warm with scoop of chocolate ice cream on top ! Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe - I followed it step by step , it was easy and tastes absolutely amazing ! Lana
over 1 year ago JSCooks
Lana, I am so very flattered that you chose my cake for your very first baking experience. I'm delighted you and your husband enjoyed it. Please keep baking -- you're a natural! -Jennie
over 1 year ago MakeThatMakeThis
Just made your delicious plum cake. it really was a stunner. My hisband is extremely grateful and my house smells unbelievable. Thanks for sharing. There's a photo on my facebook page if you want to see the results. Honestly this cake could make anyone look like they're cooking in a magazine.
over 1 year ago JSCooks
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I'm delighted you are enjoying the cake and its aroma. I just bought some prune plums yesterday and though I've spent most of this weekend cooking I am going to make a Late Summer Plum Cake, too!
over 1 year ago MakeThatMakeThis
Really enjoyed baking your delicious plum cake this afternoon. There's a photo of it here on my facebook page. Thanks for sharing.
over 1 year ago JSCooks
Your photograph is beautiful -- I'm glad you enjoyed the cake!
over 1 year ago Ivy1
Can I use a springfoam pan?
over 1 year ago Umami
Yes--I used a springform and would recommend one for this recipe over a regular 9-inch.