Festive Prune Cake Recipes

PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Combine prunes and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until prunes are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a fluted tube pan (such as a Bundt®).
• Mix flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, allspice, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Combine vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, and eggs in a separate bowl; pour them into the flour mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. Use an electric mixer to blend in the drained prunes; the mixer will break them up a bit. Stir in the chopped pecans.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven until a tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack.
• To make icing, combine 1 cup sugar, margarine, 1/2 cup buttermilk, vanilla extract, and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for a full 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Invert cake onto a platter and pour hot icing over the cake.

OLD FASHIONED PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour Bundt or tube pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs and 1 1/2 cup sugar. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Add flour mixture, alternating with 1 cup buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. beat well after each addition. Stir in prunes, pecans and 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla.
• Pour into greased and floured bundt or tube pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
• Make large, deep holes in hot cake and pour topping in holes and on top of cake a little at a time, giving it time to soak in.
• For the topping: In saucepan, over medium heat, cook butter, 3/4 cup buttermilk, corn syrup and 1 1/2 cup sugar until sugar and butter melt. Remove from heat and add 2 teaspoons vanilla and stir.

PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Add oil, buttermilk and eggs; mix well. Fold in plums and nuts. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and punch holes in top of cake with a wooden skewer or pick. Immediately combine glaze ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly; pour hot glaze over warm cake. Cool in pan.

INY'S PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.Cover prunes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and mashable, about eight minutes. Remove from heat, drain water, and mash on a plate. Set aside.Mix together oil, sugar, and eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients, add buttermilk and vanilla and stir gently until just combined. Throw in the mashed prunes and stir gently to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX!Pour batter into buttered baking dish (9 x 13 or so) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE OR INY WILL PADDLE YOUR BOTTOM.While cake has five minutes remaining, make the icing:Combine all icing ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Boil without stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until icing starts to turn dark. Do NOT allow icing to reach soft ball stage; icing should be caramel in color, but not sticky like caramel. Icing should be easily pourable.Remove cake from oven and pour on icing immediately.Allow to rest on the counter. Serve warm.NOTE: There is absolutely zero "prune effect" associated with this cake. The end.

OLD FASHIONED PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• I do not use a mixer with this cake. You will need 3 bowls, 1 large mixing bowl and 2 smaller bowls. Put your chopped prunes in one of the small bowls, cover with the cup of buttermilk and set aside. In the large bowl add together the oil, sugar, and eggs mixing well with a spoon. In the other bowl combine the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg and use a wire whisk to mix well.
• Pour the prunes and milk into the large bowl with the sugar, eggs, and oil. Add the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon. (I use a wooden spoon). Add vanilla extract and mix. Spray a 9 x 13 cake pan and add the batter. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center of the cake is done. Add the topping recipe below while still warm.

INY'S PRUNE CAKE WITH BUTTERMILK ICING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and butter a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.
• Place the prunes in a small saucepan. Cover them with water. Bring to a low boil and cook until soft and mashable, about 8 minutes.
• Drain the water and mash the prunes on a plate. It's okay to leave little chunks behind. Set the prunes aside and make the cake.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mmmm... smells like the holidays.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients and splash in the buttermilk. Stir until just combined. The mixture will be slightly lumpy.
• Now throw in the mashed prunes. And if your honey walks in as you're completing this step, shield the bowl with your body and stir quickly. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.
• Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Grandma Iny was adamant: do not over bake the cake. You want it to be nice and moist.
• When the cake has about 5 minutes left to bake, make the icing: Combine the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, baking soda and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat. No need to stir. Continue boiling until the icing turns a light caramel color, 5 to 7 minutes. Important: The icing should be the color of caramel, but not yet firm and sticky. It needs to be pourable.
• Pull the cake out of the oven. Try not to faint, as it smells absolutely divine.
• While the cake is very warm, pour the icing evenly over the top. Work fast, as it will quickly start to soak into the cake.
• Spread the coat evenly ... then please, do yourself a favor: lick the spatula. It'll make you smile. Serve immediately, or feel free to let the cake sit on the counter for a while before serving. It only gets better with age.
• Helpful hint: serve without revealing the fact that the cake contains prunes.

SPICED PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a nonstick Bundt pan (12-cup capacity), tapping out excess flour; set aside.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; remove from heat, and add prunes. Cover, and let soak 10 minutes. Drain prunes and finely chop; set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, and eggs. Add oil mixture to flour mixture; mix just until combined. Stir in prunes and nuts.
• Spoon batter into prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and the cake has pulled away completely from sides of the pan, 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours.
• Immediately invert onto a cooling rack; let cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

PRUNE CAKE WITH GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Add oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; mix well. Fold in prunes and nuts. Pour into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 45 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all topping ingredients in a saucepan. bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Pour over hot cake. Leave in pan to cool.