Plum cake is a festive, rich dessert made with dried fruits like plums, apricots, raisins, and figs, soaked in rum or orange juice. The fruits are mixed into a spiced batter with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, adding warmth and flavor. The cake is baked until golden and fragrant, and nuts like almonds or walnuts can be added for extra texture. After baking, it can be brushed with rum for more richness. Cooling the cake properly is key before slicing. This cake makes for a perfect holiday treat, full of festive flavors.
Ingredients:
For the Soaked Fruits:
- 250g dried plums (prunes), chopped
- 100g raisins
- 100g dried cranberries
- 100g dried apricots, chopped
- 100g dried figs, chopped
- 100ml rum or orange juice (for non-alcoholic version)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
For the Cake Batter:
- 250g all-purpose flour
- 200g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 200g brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- teaspoon cinnamon powder
- teaspoon nutmeg powder
- teaspoon ground cloves
- 100ml milk
- 50g chopped almonds or walnuts (optional)
- A pinch of salt
Step 1: Prepare the Fruit Soak
- Soak the fruits: Combine the chopped dried plums, raisins, cranberries, apricots, and figs in a bowl. Pour the rum (or orange juice) over the fruits, mix well, and let it soak overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. This allows the fruits to absorb the liquid and become plump and flavorful.
Step 2: Make the Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 170 C (340 F). Grease a round cake pan (8-9 inches) and line it with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter and brown sugar together until creamy and light. This takes about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract.
- Add eggs: Beat the eggs in one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one. This step helps to create a smooth batter.
- Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet batter in three parts, alternating with milk. Mix gently until you get a smooth batter.
Step 3: Add Fruits and Nuts
- Add the soaked fruits: Drain any excess liquid from the soaked fruits and fold them into the cake batter. Add chopped almonds or walnuts if using. Ensure that the fruits and nuts are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Step 4: Bake the Cake
- Pour into pan: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too fast, cover it with aluminum foil during the last 20 minutes of baking.
Step 5: Cool and Serve
- Cool the cake: Once done, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. Transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve: Slice and serve the cake as it is, or optionally drizzle it with some rum syrup for extra flavor and moisture.
Tips:
- For added richness, brush the cake with rum every day for up to a week before serving. This will enhance the flavors.
- Feel free to adjust the mix of dried fruits according to your preference.
Enjoy your delicious, spiced Plum Cake.
