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Summer fruits meet cozy fall baking in this simple plum cake; a lightly spiced cinnamon vanilla cake beneath a layer of sweet-tart, jammy plums! Plus, it’s eggless, dairy-free, & delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
September brings with it the end of summer and farmer’s markets abundant with juicy seasonal plums. What better way to celebrate than with sweet, cozy, comforting vegan plum crisp and this fresh plum cake? Made with simple, inexpensive, pantry-friendly ingredients, this cake is dairy-free, vegan, and could even be made gluten-free.
In this simple homemade plum cake recipe, sweet, juicy, tangy plums are baked over a cinnamon-spiced vegan vanilla cake batter until soft and jammy. The juices seep into the cake for a moist, tender, flavorful treat perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert – perfect with a warm cup of tea or coffee!
Looking for more seasonal September bakes? Try my easy apple pear pie, vegan pear cake, and/or easy blackberry crumble.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
What Plums Are Best For Plum Cake?
It’s best to use ripe yet firm plums (but not overly ripe) with a little give when squeezed and have no punctures or mushy/brown spots. You can use any plum variety (Japanese, Italian prune plums, Damsons, etc.).
Tasty Recipe Variations
- Almond plum cake: Add 1 tsp almond extract + sprinkle with slivered almonds.
- Plum crumb cake: Add the streusel topping from my apple blueberry crumble.
- Vegan chocolate plum cake: Replace ¼-⅓ cup flour with cocoa powder.
- Apple: Replace up to 50% of the plums with crisp apples.
- Spices: Plum ginger cake is a favorite (with fresh, powdered, and/or candied ginger), though a pinch of nutmeg and/or cardamom also works OR chai spice.
- Citrus: Add about a tablespoon of orange, lime, or lemon zest.
- Plum jam: Swirl dollops into the batter OR brush the baked vegan cake with warmed jam/conserve for a sweet glaze.
How to Make a Plum Cake
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F/175C and grease or line a 9-inch spring-form pan. Next, halve, pit, and dice (or slice) the plums. Transfer them to a medium bowl with 1 tbsp sugar. Toss well and set aside.
Step 2: Then, in a large bowl with an electric mixer, stand mixer, or whisk, cream the vegan butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
Step 3: In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl/cup, mix the applesauce, vanilla, and plant-based milk, then add it to the creamed vegan butter and mix thoroughly. Mix in the dry ingredients until only just combined.
Step 4: Then, pour the batter into the pan, level with a spatula, and spread the plums over the top, skin-side up.
Step 5: Bake the vegan plum cake for 45 minutes or until a fork/knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Finally, remove the cake from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. While hot, run a knife around the edges of the pan. Remove the spring-form edge, but don’t lift the cake from the base until it’s completely cooled. Enjoy!
FAQs
This recipe should work with other stone fruits, like peaches, nectarines, apricots, or cherries.
You should be able to replace AP flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. The cake may be a little denser/drier, though.
Yes. Divide the batter into a muffin tray and reduce the baking time to 20-25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.
I haven’t tested a sheet cake version yet. Adjust baking time as necessary.
Serving Recommendations
Enjoy a slice of this simple plum coffee cake alone or with:
- A dusting of powdered sugar
- Dairy-free yogurt or vegan cream
- Vegan whipped cream
- A scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream
- Vegan custard
- Tea or coffee
Storage Instructions
Room temp: Store the vegan plum cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
In the fridge: In an airtight container for 5-7 days, though it may dry out quicker.
Freeze it: Whole or sliced (parchment paper between slices, to prevent sticking), wrapped in plastic wrap in a Ziplock/Stasher, for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, at room temp for 3-4 hours, or quickly in a microwave/toaster oven.
Easy Plum Cake
Ingredients
- 1 pound of plums pitted and cubed
- 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
- ½ cup of unsalted vegan butter at room temperate
- ½ cup of brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ cup of unsweetened plain applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup of plant-based milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Add the plums to a bowl, add the granulated sugar, and toss. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, combine the vegan butter and brown sugar. Whisk for 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a cup, mix the applesauce, vanilla, and plant-based milk. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the vegan butter and sugar. Mix for 1 minute, scrape the sides, and mix for 1 more minute.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix by hand until fully combined. Make sure you do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the pan, level with a spatula, and place the plums on top of the batter, skin side up.
- Bake for 45 minutes and test for doneness by putting a fork into the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. If not, add 10 minutes at a time until the fork comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. While hot, run a knife around the edges of the cake and remove the springform edge. Do not lift the cake out of the base of the cake pan until it’s completely cool.
Notes
- This recipe should work with other stone fruits, like peaches, nectarines, apricots, or cherries.
- To make a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose flour blend, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. The cake may be a little denser/drier, though.
- For plum muffins, divide the batter into a muffin tray and reduce the baking time to 20-25 minutes.
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