This delicious Almond Plum Cake tastes like a cross between cake and fruit cobbler. Thanks to soft roasted plums, almond paste, and a generous amount of Amaretto liquor, the texture of this cake is so moist it's almost a fruit cobbler.
Why This Recipe Works
This Almond Plum Cake is made from three of my favorite things:
- Sweet plums
- Almond paste
- Amaretto.
The combination creates a custard like crumb that's so tender and creamy it's almost like a sliceable fruit cobbler.
Deliciousness aside, I also love this recipe because it's the kind of crowd pleasing cake that seems 100% appropriate for pretty much any situation or time of day.
For example, most cakes just kind of naturally lend themselves to certain situations:
- Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake and Buttermilk Coffee Cake for breakfast or brunch.
- Lemon Berry Snack Cake for picnics, an after school snack, or just an afternoon pick-me-up.
- A fancy Champagne Layer Cake for celebrations or dinner parties.
Yet somehow, this Cake is right at home anywhere, at any time, for any occasion. Breakfast, brunch, afternoon snack, dessert, backyard BBQ or fancy dinner party. All of them call for Almond Plum Cake.
Or, perhaps I just want the excuse to eat cake at any time of the day and want to offer you the same. You're welcome. 😉
What Kind of Plums Are Best For This Cake?
Plums can be divided into two main groups:
- European Plums
- Japanese Plums
Japanese plums
Most fresh plums found in supermarket produce bins are the Japanese variety, including black plums, red plums, and yellow plums.
While red plums are my favorite kind to eat fresh, black plums are my favorite variety of Japanese plums to use in baking. Black plums are typically more sweet than sour and sturdy enough to hold their shape during cooking or baking.
European plums
European plums, also known as Prunus Domestica, are small, oblong shaped, and sometimes labeled as “fresh prunes” in supermarkets and farmer's markets. They are sweet, naturally small, and not excessively juicy - qualities that make them ideal for drying into prunes, and also make them great for baking.
If you can find them, European plums are the perfect size and texture for this cake.
If your local market doesn't carry European plums, small black Japanese plums will work equally well. The goal is to look for very small black plums that are ripe but still somewhat firm.
If the only thing available to you are large, super ripe and juicy plums, cut them into quarters and place them in a colander set over the sink. Let them sit for about 30 minutes so that some of the excess juice can drain out and you'll be good to go.
Another great option, if you can find them, are damson plums, which are often too sour for fresh eating but contribute sweet-tart fruity flavor to this cake.
What is Almond Paste and Where Can You Find It?
Almond paste is nothing more than almonds ground with confectioners sugar, almond extract and an egg white to bind it all together. For such a humble ingredient, almond paste is absolutely magical in baked goods, contributing moisture, flavor, and a level of richness that's difficult to get from other ingredients. I'm a fan.
You can find almond paste in most supermarkets, order it from Amazon, or make it yourself.
How to make almond paste:
- Add 1 & ½ cups of blanched almonds to a food processor. Pulse until the almonds are ground to the consistency of coarse sand.
- Add 1 & ½ cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar, 1 large egg white, and 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Substitutions for Amaretto
Besides its lovely almond flavor, Amaretto is one of my favorite liquors to use in desserts because it's so smooth. It adds flavor without any sharp edges. You can add quite a lot (flavor!) without risking any of the "burn" associated with alcohol.
Having said all that, if you don't have any Amaretto, you can substitute milk for the ¼ cup used in the cake batter. Then simply omit the 3 tablespoons that's brushed over the top of the cake after it's baked.
How to Serve Almond Plum Cake
As I said earlier, it feels appropriate to serve this cake at any time of the day. If it's meant for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack, I like to serve it on its own, completely unadorned.
If it's meant for dessert, I usually like to serve this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
How to make sweetened whipped cream:
- Add 1 cup of cold heavy whipping cream to a bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until it begins to thicken.
- Add 3 tablespoons of confectioners (powdered) sugar and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
- Continue to beat until soft peaks form when you lift the beaters from the cream. Store whipped cream in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Almond Plum Cake FAQs and Expert Tips:
A: this cake can be frozen for up to three months. Make sure to wrap the cake well to prevent freezer burn. I usually wrap it twice in plastic wrap and then again with a layer of aluminum foil. Let the cake defrost in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for about 6 hours.
A: I think any kind of stone fruit would work great - apricots, cherries, peaches or nectarines. Pears would also work well. I've also made this for Thanksgiving using cranberries and it's absolutely delicious.
A: This is such a moist, creamy cake, that it can be tricky to know when it's done baking. The cake is done when it's just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. If you gently shake the pan, the center shouldn't wobble like jello, but appear to be set.
If you insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, it should come out without any raw, liquid batter on it. The toothpick will not be clean - you're just looking for signs of raw batter. If you're still unsure, know that it's better to slightly under bake this cake than over bake it.
A: The reason why I recommend baking this cake in a springform pan is because it's super difficult to remove this cake from a regular cake pan. The sides of a springform pan release away from the cake, so you don't have to try to flip the cake out of the pan. With a regular cake pan, you'd need to turn the cake upside down to flip it out of the pan. Since the top of the cake is covered in soft fruit, this doesn't work very well.
If you really want to bake this cake inside a regular cake pan, make sure to grease, flour, and line the pan with parchment paper. Then, just serve the cake from inside the pan, cutting and lifting each slice from the pan, rather than trying to remove the whole cake at once.
More One Layer Cake Recipes:
- Honey Cake with Almonds
- Lemon Berry Snack Cake
- The BEST Marble Cake
- Banana Cream Cake
- Pistachio Cardamom Cake
- Butterscotch Bundt Cake
- Bananas Foster Butter Cake
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment, or take a picture and tag it @ofbatteranddough on Instagram.
Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Almond Plum Cake
This simple Almond Plum Cake tastes like a cross between cake and fruit cobbler. It is supremely moist and almost custard-like, thanks to the soft roasted sweet plums, almond paste, and a generous amount of Amaretto liquor.
Ingredients
- 16 small plums (about 16 oz/ 1 lb)
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon table salt (2 ½ teaspoon kosher salt)
- 8 oz almond paste
- 12 tablespoon butter (1 ½ sticks), at room temperature (Here's how to bring butter to room temperature)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature (here's how to quickly bring eggs to room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar + 3 tablespoon for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoon + ¼ cup Amaretto liquor, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable shortening. Cut out a piece of parchment paper so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Grease the top of the parchment paper. Shake about ½ cup of flour around inside the pan so that it’s coated with flour. Shake out the excess. (Here's how to keep cakes from sticking to the pan.)
- Cut the plums in half and remove their seeds. If using larger plums, cut them in half, remove the seed, and then cut each half into quarters. (If the plums are really juicy, place the cut up pieces in a colander set in the sink and let them sit for about 30 minutes to allow the excess juice to drip out.)
- In a medium size bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a wire whisk to combine.
- Add the almond paste to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute just to break up the almond paste. Add the butter and beat on medium high for 1 minute to combine with the almond paste.
- Add the eggs one at a time, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition and beating on medium-high for 20 seconds before adding the next egg.
- Add the lemon zest and 1 ⅓ cups of the sugar and beat on medium-high for another 2-3 minutes, until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Add the almond extract and ¼ cup of the Amaretto and beat just long enough to combine.
- Gently stir the flour mixture into the batter, mixing just long enough to incorporate. Scoop the batter into the prepared springform pan, smoothing the top.
- Place the plums cut side down across the surface of the cake in one layer. Sprinkle 3 tablespoon granulated sugar over the top of the cake.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out without any liquid batter clinging to it. (*See note below about how to know when this cake is done baking.)
- Remove the cake to a wire rack and let sit for 5 minutes. Run the blunt edge of a knife or flat metal spatula along the sides of the cake and then release and remove the side of the pan. Brush the top of the cake with 3 tablespoon Amaretto. Let cool completely before serving.
- If desired, serve with sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (*See note below about how to make sweetened whipped cream.)
Notes
How to know when this cake is done baking:
This is such a moist, creamy cake, that it can be tricky to know when it's done baking. The cake is done when it's just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. If you gently shake the pan, the center shouldn't wobble like jello, but appear to be set. If you insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, it should come out without any raw, liquid batter on it. The toothpick will not be clean - you're just looking for signs of raw batter. If you're still unsure, know that it's better to slightly underbake this cake than overbake it.
How to make sweetened whipped cream:
- Add 1 cup of cold heavy whipping cream to a bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until it begins to thicken.
- Add 3 tablespoons of confectioners (powdered) sugar and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
- Continue to beat until soft peaks form when you lift the beaters from the cream. Store whipped cream in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 428Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 484mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 3gSugar: 40gProtein: 6g
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Cindy M says
I made this cake in a well-greased & floured bundt pan and it turned out marvelous! (350 degrees for 60-ish minutes...)
Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that Cindy! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! I truly appreciate it. xo
Amy says
so glad as I have a bunt pan!
Kelly says
This cake was great, a definite crowd pleaser. At first my friends son didn’t want it but then took a bite of his moms and needed a piece for himself!! I didn’t have amaretto so I added extra almond extract and it came out so yummy!! Thanks again for a wonderful recipe!!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Kelly! I'm so happy to hear that this cake came out well for you! I love the story about your friend's son! That's fantastic. Thank you for participating in the Bake Club! xo
Samara Scheckman says
Can I use a non-dairy butter substitute for this? Like baking sticks, not necessarily Crisco?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Samara! You should be able to substitute non-dairy butter for the regular butter in here without any problems. Substitute the non-dairy butter in the same amount, but use weight as a measurement - 12 tbsp of butter = 6 ounces. So, use 6 ounces of non-dairy butter. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to hear what you think of this cake after you make it! xo
Julie says
Rebecca - the cranberries added a tartness that we loved! You said to do one layer but I want more cranberries without overdoing it - did you try this? What do you suggest? Soooooo good!!!!!
Rebecca Blackwell says
I made this with cranberries over the Thanksgiving holiday and we loved it! I added the cranberries in one layer, but I really packed them in. Having tried it once, I think you could get away with adding more. I'm not exactly sure where the balance is between loading the cake with cranberries and overloading the cake with cranberries... but I think you could get away with adding quite a few more than what will fit over the batter in one layer. I'm so glad to hear that you tried this as well and liked it! I need to add a note in the recipe about this option. Thank you SO MUCH for the idea!!! xo
Julie says
Thanks - am definitely going to do that - pack them in. I wanted to gift these at Christmas to friends - I know I will be asked if it can be frozen as well. Your thoughts?
Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm sure the cake can be frozen, probably for up to 3 months before the flavor starts to be affected. Just make sure they are well wrapped - I'd wrap them twice in plastic wrap then once or twice in aluminum foil.
Julie says
Excellent will do! I just bought ingredients for the rum tart I've had my eye on. Will make soon and let you know.
Julie says
I'd like to make this again, but plums are hard to find. What fruit have you substituted with success? Such a great recipe. Also - would this freeze well? Also adore your lemon loaf with olive oil - so good!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Julie! I'm so glad you like this recipe and the recipe for lemon loaf cake! As I type this, there is about 1/3 of a lemon loaf cake on my counter because I make it aaaalllll the time. 🙂 I've never used another fruit in this recipe besides plums, but I'm certain that either apricots or cherries would work beautifully. If using cherries, make sure they are pitted, cut them in half and scatter them across the surface of the cake. I'm not sure that apricots or cherries are going to be an easier to find this time of year... I also think you could us cranberries. I fact, I think cranberries would be fantastic and I just might try that myself this week. I'm sure pears would also work. I'd probably use Bosc pears, but Anjou would probably work as well.
I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! And thank you for giving me the idea to try cranberries in this cake! If you think about it, I would love to know what fruit you decide to use and how you liked it. xo
Julie says
Cranberries sound perfect for this time of year - will make tomorrow - you think a pound sounds right?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Yes... I'd probably purchase a pound and then be prepared to use a bit less. Sprinkle enough to cover the surface of the cake in one layer. I think you'll want enough cranberries to completely cover the batter, without stacking them on top of each other. Please let me know how this comes out for you! I am going to try the same thing next week! 🙂
Julie says
Will do - thank you!!
Julie says
Made this as written yesterday. Perfect in every way - raves all around.
Rebecca Blackwell says
I am so happy to hear that you liked this cake Julie! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! I truly appreciate it. xo
Celeste says
Could I use fresh sweet cherries instead of plums?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Celeste! Yes - I think that would work and be delicious! Please keep me posted about how this cake comes out for you! xo
Kellie says
I made this cake today and OMG it was FABULOUS! Was simply perfect. I didn’t have amaretto, so substituted milk (didn’t brush any on top of cake) And also didn’t use the lemon zest. It was super moist, with almost a crunchy/chewy exterior. I dusted it with some powder sugar and served with a dollop of whipped cream. Everyone raved...my husband who said he doesn’t eat nuts almost licked his plate, and my sister, who was too full for dessert and did’t want any, ate her husbands Entire piece after tasting one bite. This is a keeper. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Rebecca Blackwell says
This comment just totally made my day Kellie! I am so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed this cake so much! It is one of my family's favorites as well. 🙂 Thank you, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I appreciate it so much! xo
Amy says
Excellent cake but too salty. I would suggest only using 1 tsp of salt.
Rebecca Blackwell says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe Amy! And, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! Salt is one of those subjective ingredients and I definitely tend to add more salt to sweet things than a lot of other bakers. Glad you found an adjustment that will work better for your personal tastes. xo