Description
Jammy, tart and subtly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom for a delicate hint of lemon, Plum Pound Cake takes advantage of late-harvested fruit, well into fall for a rich, delicious, buttery cake that’s always a huge hit! Serve WARM with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sweet whipped cream.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 10 – 12 medium, ripe plums (see note)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom FOR THE CAKE
- 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Coat a standard loaf pan with non-stick spray (or melted butter) and line with parchment paper. (The pan I used was 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches.)
- In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and reserve until needed.
- Pit plums. Slicing vertically along the seam of the fruit, twist to separate and pop out the pit with a paring knife or your thumb. Cut each half in half again and toss with brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in a bowl and reserve while you mix your batter.
- In a third bowl, cream butter until light and smooth, using a stand mixer, hand mixer, or wooden spoon. Scrape down your bowl, getting right to the bottom. Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Scrape down your bowl, in the exact same manner. Add vanilla and eggs, under low speed, one-by-one until fully incorporated and smooth. Scrape down your bowl, getting right to the bottom. Yes… again.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer (if using) and fold in one-half of the dry ingredients, mix by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula until about half mixed. Now add the final portion of the flour mixture and scrape down that bowl, one final time to ensure all ingredients are well mixed and smooth.
- Layer about half your batter into the loaf pan. Smooth with wet fingers and add one-half of the fruit and distribute evenly. Repeat the process with the remainder of the batter and plums – including any juice that may be in the bowl with the fruit, pressing the coated plums gently into the top of the cake.
- Place ready-to-bake cake on a cookie sheet (just in case of sugary juice overflow) and place on the middle rack of a preheated 325°F (165°C) oven and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes – or until a tooth pic inserted in the center of the Plum Pound Cake removes just a few crumbs clinging to it. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Serve WARM with ice cream, frozen yogurt, or a big dollop of whipped cream. Store leftovers, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to ten days.
Notes
Here I’m using Italian Blue Plums, also known as Black Plums. But any ripe plum, apricot, peach, or even rhubarb will work well with this pound cake.
Depending on your oven, and the juiciness of your plums, this Plum Pound Cake may take longer to bake. so give yourself a little extra time.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour + 20 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American