This plum cake is a perfect tea time treat when you need something light, fruity and still elegant. The tart plums are softened and almost caramelized with brown sugar. The cake is a simple light soft crumb cake that compliments it perfectly. This plum coffee cake is the perfect summer dessert.
Plum season is almost coming to an end. I love plums but my kids don't fancy them when they are tart. So we usually wait until they are soft and sweet so we can enjoy them.
Last week my father in law came to visit us. The kids are always so excited to see the grandparents. It's fun to see the excitement. Of course, he was visiting for tea so Rhea wanted to make a cake instead of cookies this time. What better than a lovely plum cake to serve with his coffee.
What's a coffee cake?
I said let's make an upside-down plum coffee cake and Rhea goes - I don't like coffee in my plum cake!!
I laughed out loud - There is no coffee in this cake. It's called a coffee cake because we serve it alongside coffee!!
As soon as grandpa came she did not wait to tell him about how a cake served with coffee does not have coffee in it and how it's been called coffee cake just because it is served with coffee. And of course - it is usually served at a high tea or can be called a tea cake.
Of course, grandpa did a great job of pretending he knew nothing about it. And enjoyed all the knowledge.
Since the cake was meant for grandpa she insisted on making it herself. Well, it's an easy recipe so why not?
Ingredients and substitutesÂ
- Plums - you want to use ripe but firm plums that will hold their shape thru the cooking process. A softer fruit will become soft and jammy. Still, taste delicious but less aesthetic.
- Sugar - I have used both brown and white sugar here. I love brown sugar but I did not want my cake to be too dark. So I kept half white. But you are free to add all brown or all white sugar. If you use all white I'd say reduce it by two tablespoons so it's not overly sweet.
- Butter - I do like using oil in cakes but I love a good butter batter for my fruit based cakes.
- Spices - Today I am using Pumpkin Spice but nutmeg, cinnamon, gingerbread spice mix or garam masala (yes) - all these are great flavors in this recipe.
I love how impressive this cake looks when you serve it. Love the color of the plums once the fruit is caramelized with the sugars
Step by step instructions
Prepare fruit base
- Split the plums in half, remove seed and cut each half into 4 (or six) slices.
- Place soft butter and sugar in the baking pan - combine well.
- Spread evenly on the bottom of the pan so you have a layer of butter /sugar.
- Arrange the slices of plums over the mixture.
- Place in the fridge for five minutes while you prepare the cake batter.
Prepare cake batter
- Preheat oven at 170 C/ 340 F.
- Ensure butter is soft room temperature.
- Add the pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the flour - mix well.
- In a bowl cream butter and sugars until well blended.
- Add eggs, one at a time.
- Followed by the flour mixture and buttermilk.
- Lastly, add the vanilla.
Bake
- Pour cake batter gently over the plum slices in the cake pan.
- Spread it evenly. Wiggle the pan gently so the batter sinks into between the slices.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 - 40 minutes until the skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Cool on the baking rack for 5 minutes.
Invert cake
- This cake needs to be inverted while the melted sugar is still hot at the bottom of the pan.
- Place a plate or serving platter on the cake pan - carefully hold the pan and plate steady while you flip the cake pan over.
- This is better done correctly, carefully and quickly by an adult only.
- The cake is hot and the bottom caramelized sugar juices can cause severe burns if not done correctly.
Cool and serve
- Once inverted let the cake cool completely.
- This cake can be eaten warm or cold.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, 2 tbsp of rum or brandy works wonderful in this recipe.
Absolutely. You can add ½ cup chopped almond, cashew nuts or pistachios in this recipe. Alternatively, you can add ¼ cup almond meals as well.
Yes, you can add apricots to make this an apricot cake. Try peaches for a peach cake or fig for a wonderful fig cake. I have shared a delicious Upside-down Peach cake that I highly recommend.
If properly stored, this one-bowl vanilla cake will last for 2 days at room temperature. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 or 6 days. Though I down it will last for that long as this is truly delicious.
Yes, you can. However, brown sugar adds a hint of molasses that complements the tartness of the plums beautifully.
There is so much you can do stone-fruits like plums. Here are just a few stone fruit recipes I have shared with you on this blog. You can replace plums in any of these recipes
Delicious French Plum Clafoutis
Plum Peach Jam
Nectarine Cream Cheese Tart
Nectarine Frangipane Tart
Cherry crumble bars
Peach Crumble Pie
Don't forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
Upside Down Plum Coffee Cake
Print Pin Share on Facebook Grow-Me Share by Email RateDescription
Ingredients
For the Fruit Base
- 4 Plums medium-sized freshÂ
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp White sugar
- 4 tbsp (60 g) Unsalted butter
For the Cake
- 5 oz (140 g) Unsalted butter (10 tbsp)
- 5 tbsp (75 g) White sugar
- 5 tbsp (75 g) Brown sugar
- 2 Eggs large
- 1 ¼ cup (160 g) All purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) Buttermilk
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- ½ tsp Pumpkin spice see substitute above
Instructions
Prepare Fruit Base
- Split the plums in half, remove seed and cut each half into 4 (or six) slices.
- Place soft butter and sugar in the baking pan - combine well.
- Spread evenly on the bottom of the pan so you have a layer of butter /sugar
- Arrange the slices of plums over the mixture.
- Place in the fridge for five minutes while you prepare the cake batter.
Prepare cake batter
- Preheat oven at 170 C/ 340 F
- Ensure butter is soft room temperatureÂ
- Add pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the flour - mix well.Â
- In a bowl cream butter and sugars until well blended.Â
- Add eggs one at a time
- Followed by the flour mixture and buttermilk.Â
- Lastly, add the vanilla.
Bake
- Pour cake batter gently over the plum slices in the cake pan.
- Spread it evenly. Wiggle the pan gently so the batter sinks into between the slices.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 - 40 minutes until the skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Cool on the baking rack for 5 minutes
Invert cake
- This cake needs to be inverted while the melted sugar is still hot in the bottom of the pan.
- Place a plate or serving platter on the cake pan - carefully hold the pan and plate steady while you flip the cake pan over
- This is better done correctly, carefully and quickly by an adult only.
- The cake is hot and the bottom caramelized sugar juices can cause severe burns if not done correctly.
Cool and serve
- Once inverted let the cake cool completely.
- This cake can be eaten warm or cold
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Michelle Miller
I love an upside down cake, like tarte tain! This one looks amazingly gorgeous, also as it is made with plums, one of my Summer favorites! Great recipe!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Michelle. Yes, love fruit-based upside-down cakes.
Mikayla
I love fresh plums, the tart ones are my favorite, and this cake is a delicious way to use them while they're available! Thanks for sharing!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Mikayla. Yes, me too love the tart one very much.
Taylor Kiser
This looks incredibly delicious! Definitely an impressive summer dessert that's perfect for any occasion!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Taylor. Definitely perfect for summer.
Dailycupo
It ’s looking sooo delicious! Yum! I love plum and I tried to make the same cake as this one some days ago! And it really was amazingly tasty 😀 and I also loved this one which is perfect for afternoon snacks
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Dailycupo. This is definitely perfect for an afternoon tea.
Kate
This looks so delicious! It would be perfect with a cup of coffee as an afternoon break. Yum!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Kate. Would definitely be a great treat with a cup of tea.
Ashley - Forking Up
Ohh I love how this turned out! It looks so pretty and classy. I never have plums around but I might just have to pick some up for this. Do they ripen a bit in the oven or should they be ripe already?
Veena Azmanov
They do become soft in the oven Ashley and when mixed with sugar really become delicious. I use almost ripe but still firm plums because I do love the tart taste it provides this sweet cake.
swathi
Love this plum cake, since Rhea also help to make it is double sweet. I need to find some juicy plum to make it, I like the idea of upside down plum cake.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Swathi. Oh Plums are in season here now. Almost coming to an end. We love plums
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen
This cake looks great, I don't think I've ever seen a plum coffee cake. I too don't usually put coffee into my coffee cakes, I call it coffee cake because it goes with coffee as well.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Val.. Yup... it's hard for kids to understand these things.. They are quite literal sometimes
Adriana Lopez Martin
This cake is lovely my mom was used to make something similar but with apples. Love the idea of using plumbs as I am a plumb lover yummy!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Adriana. I love the tart plumps in this.
Catherine
This coffee cake looks beautiful! Save me slice please!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Catherine
Teri Stephens
Rhea is too cute!! Love her pigtails. And these plums look so gorgeous on this cake. Mouthwatering, the color is just beautiful.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Teri. Yeah she loves those pig tails
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh
This is beautiful, and not something I'd think of to do with an upside down cake. I bet it tastes lovely. Plums are one of my favorite fruits.
Veena Azmanov
I love Upside Down Joanna. Nothing like a good caramelized fruit. You must try.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
That is so great that you encourage your daughter to cook. My kids were in the kitchen with me a lot and so my two sons and daughter all like to cook. That's a cute story about your little girl telling grandpa all about coffee and tea cakes. I swear kids are like sponges that pick up everything. I love the simplicity of the cake and yet it is special enough for company. Plums are in season now, I'll have to give it a try.
Veena Azmanov
Oh my kids love to cook with me Marisa. Aadi is ten now so getting busy with sports activities and less in the kitchen but Rhea could live in the kitchen if I let her. I love cooking and especially baking with them. So true kids are like little sponges - taking in so much more than we can imagine.
Noel Lizotte
Upside down cakes with fruit are some of my favorites. I love having one for breakfast with my tea. This plum combination is perfect for fall mornings.
Veena Azmanov
Mine too Noel. I upside down cakes.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
I love rustic desserts like this. I will admit I have never used plums in a cake. Not sure why since I eat them all the time. I would love to try this recipe using apples....since I am heading to the orchard today to get some. I will let you know how it turns out....but I just know it will be perfect....and totally delicious too.
Veena Azmanov
Oh plums make a great treat for these cakes..especially love the tart ones. Definitely let me know how it turns out. Thanks Gloria.