Plum Almond Cake Recipes

ITALIAN PLUM AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a nine-inch springform cake pan.
• Toss the plums into a bowl with the Amaretto cookie crumbs and one-fourth cup of the sugar and set aside.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter and remaining sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the ground almonds and almond extract until just incorporated into the batter. Fold in the flour mixture. Spread the batter in the pan.
• Arrange the plums on top of the batter. Bake 40 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing the cake from the pan.
• If desired, whipped cream or ice cream can be served on the side.

SPICED PLUM ALMOND UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the caramel and fruit: Stir together the sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet until the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and light amber, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt if making a salted caramel. Arrange the plums, cut-side down, on top.
• For the cake: Whisk the flour, almonds, baking powder, allspice, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Beat the sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beating until just incorporated.
• Pour the batter over the fruit and spread evenly. Bake until golden brown all over and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 50 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes and then invert onto a platter. Cool to room temperature before serving.
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PLUM-ALMOND UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare fruit layer: Cut plums into quarters; remove pits. Heat butter in a large saute pan over medium heat until it sizzles. Add plums; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until well coated and shiny.
• Add sugar and cinnamon, and stir to coat plums. Cook, stirring frequently, until plums soften, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove fruit with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a baking sheet to cool slightly. Remove pan from heat, saving syrup.
• Butter and flour a 9 1/2-by-2-inch round cake pan. Arrange fruit, with cut edges down, in concentric circles starting with outside edge of pan. Fit leftover fruit into any spaces that remain.
• Return syrup to medium heat, and boil until very thick with large bubbles. Immediately pour over fruit. Let cool.
• Prepare cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in cornmeal with a fork.
• Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Crumble in almond paste, and beat with the paddle attachment. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, and beat until creamy.
• Add egg yolks, and beat until well combined. Beat in extracts. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Set aside.
• In a clean bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Gradually sprinkle in 2 tablespoons sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. Add a third of the whites to batter, and mix with a whisk. Gently fold in remaining whites.
• Spread batter over fruit, and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan.
• Just before serving, place pan over low heat for 1 minute to ease unmolding. Run a knife around edges to loosen, and invert onto a serving plate.

PLUM-ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Butter and flour a round 9-inch-wide by 2 1/2-inch-tall cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
• Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds from the pod. Transfer the seeds to a medium bowl and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. (To use the pod, place it in a jar and cover with sugar. After infusing for a month, the sugar will take on the vanilla flavor.) Whisk to blend (use your fingers to blend in the vanilla seeds) and set aside.
• Combine the almond paste and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until the almond paste breaks apart and starts to resemble fresh breadcrumbs, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter, increase the mixer speed to medium, and continue to mix until the crumbs start to aggregate into larger clumps, 2 minutes longer. Increase the speed to medium-high and with the motor running, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly to blend.
• Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the batter just comes together, about 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the plums.
• Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until the top is dark golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes.
• Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then turn out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before serving.