Made with a soft white almond cake and juicy sweet and tart stone fruit, this vegan plum cake makes for such a great summer dessert. Serve with vegan ice cream for a nice treat or it is so healthy you can serve it with coconut yogurt for breakfast. 100% dairy-free and egg-free and easy to make too.
I am super excited to share this tasty summer dessert with you guys. It is quite simple to make, but the combo of juicy cooked plums with the sweet almond cake is definitely a nice treat you have got to try.
This recipe is also a great way to enjoy the abundance of stone fruits during the summer, such as peaches or cherries, but I really love to use plums in this case for their super sweet and rich flavor.
The result is actually similar to a fruit cake pudding with the plums turning soft and a little sweeter while cooking. The fruits make the cake super moist and also healthier with a beautiful rustic look. I also love how the batter fluffs and rises while cooking, which gives the cake a light and airy texture.
As a side note, I used some almond flour to improve the texture of the cake and to add a delicious nutty flavor that pairs so well with the plums. And wow, the result is truly amazing.
Hope you give it a try! 💛
Highlights of this recipe
- Straightforward recipe using simple ingredients
- Beautiful summer cake
- Healthy and a great way to enjoy more fruits
- Made without refined white sugar and oil-free
- Egg-free and dairy-free (aka vegan!)
- Great recipe to use overripe plums
Ingredients you'll need
- All-purpose flour
- Almond flour: choose a refined and finely ground kind of almond flour. Refined means that the skin of the almonds were removed before grinding into a flour, giving a lighter in color and smoother texture.
- Baking powder and baking soda: leveling agents.
- Plant-based milk: I used an unflavored soy milk, but choose any kind.
- Lemon juice: used to mix in with the milk to make a vegan buttermilk.
- Maple syrup: sweetener, can also use agave nectar. Do not swap for granulated sugar.
- Almond extract: adds lots of flavor and pairs well with the almond flour. If you don't have any, then swap for vanilla extract.
- Fresh plums: choose very well ripe plums for best flavor. I used black plums, but any kind will work.
- Brown sugar or coconut sugar: to sprinkle over the fruit to help caramelize them, optional.
How to make a vegan plum cake
Line the bottom of a 9' springform pan with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 350º.
Prepare the plums
Clean and pat dry the plums. Then, slice them in half and remove their pit using a small spoon.
Make the batter
In a medium bowl, combine the plant-based milk with the lemon juice, stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The mixture might curdle and will look a little thicker (similar to buttermilk). Then, add the maple syrup and almond extract and stir.
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda and baking powder and stir. Then, pour the wet over the dry and combine.
Combine and bake
Pour the batter in the prepared baking dish and use a spatula to help distribute evenly into the dish. Then, press the halved plums into the batter. It might look like there is not enough batter, but it will rise quite a bit while cooking.
Bake in the oven for 38-39 minutes, then let the cake cool down for 10 minutes before un molding and slicing.
Watch how to make it
Baking tips
- The juice from the plums tends to stick to the side of the dish while cooking, so be sure to run a knife around before un molding so you don't break the cake.
- Ensure not to leave any small pieces of pit into the fruit. They tend to break easily when removing them.
- Another way to make the cake is to slice the plums and place them over the batter instead of pressing the whole halves into the cake.
- If you don't have any almond extract, then use some vanilla extract and a dash or cinnamon or nutmeg instead.
- My plums were pretty big, so I had plenty with 5 plums, but if you use tiny plums from a different variety, then simply use enough halves to fill the top surface.
Storage and serving suggestion
This is the kind of dessert that's best the same day it was made. The fruits keep the cake pretty moist and it can turn soggy over time. That being said, we kept our leftovers for a few days in the fridge and it worked out pretty well.
To serve the leftovers, you can keep it cold or warm it up a just a little in the microwave. We actually loved the cold soft plums!
Also, this cake is so healthy that I served it for breakfast a few times. It is amazing with a cup of coffee and in that case, serve with some vegan yogurt and a sprinkle of chia seeds. Also makes for a nice sweet treat to serve with afternoon tea.
When serving for dessert, top with some vegan ice cream or coconut whipped cream. A cashew vanilla icing drizzle would be amazing here. Also add some slivered almonds or chopped walnuts to add some crunch.
FAQ's
Yes! You can use any other stone fruits such as peaches, cherries, apricots, nectarines, etc. I am also planning on trying this recipe with raspberries and strawberries. I'm guessing most soft fruits would work well.
No. This recipe includes almond flour, which counts for a big portion of the dry ingredients. I haven't tried swapping it for a nut-free flour yet, but I doubt it would work very well.
Yes, you can also use a regular 9 inch pie dish. In that case, you won't be able to remove the whole cake out of the dish, but instead slice and serve like a pie. If you use a different sized cake dish, then you might need to adjust cooking time. Use a tooth pick to check on doneness.
More vegan cake recipes
- Vegan orange chocolate cake
- Vegan upside down pineapple cake
- Vegan blueberry cheesecake
- Banana mug cake
- Mug brownie
- Vegan lemon blueberry mug cake
- Vegan black forest cake
I hope you like this vegan plum cake as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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Vegan Plum Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cup almond flour - refined and finely ground
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp almond extract - or vanilla extract
- 5 plums - pitted
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar - optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat thew oven to 350º. Also, cover the bottom of a 9 inch springform baking dish with parchment paper (a 9 inch pie plate works too).
- Slice the plums in half and remove their pits.
- In a medium bowl, combine the plant-based milk with the lemon juice and let it rest for 5-10 minutes (it might curdle and look thicker, that's fine). Then, add the maple syrup and almond extract and stir to combine.
- In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda and stir to combine. Then, pour the wet ingredients over and combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepare baking dish and use a spatula to even its surface. Then, press the halved plums into the batter with the cut side facing up. Sprinkle the coconut sugar over the whole surface (optional).
- Bake in the oven for 38-39 minutes. Then, let the cake cool down for about 10-15 minutes before removing the sides of the dish (if using a springform baking dish) and slicing.
Video
Notes
- This cake is best to eat the same day it was prepared as the fruits and cake can turn soggy over time, but we kept our leftovers in the fridge in an air-tight container for a few days and it was still pretty good.
- You can use other stone fruits such as apricots, peaches, cherries, nectarines, etc.
- Serve cold or warm with a side of vegan ice cream or coconut whipped cream. If serving for breakfast, add a dollop of vegan yogurt with chopped almonds or walnuts.
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There is no salt in the recipe. Is that intentional?
Hi Grace! Yes that's right, I didn’t use any salt. 🙂