Plum and Cinnamon Cake

This Plum and Cinnamon Cake is inspired by traditional English home baking. Plum cakes have a long history in England, with early versions becoming popular in the 1700s. Over the years, many recipes have been created using dried and fresh fruits, including plums.

This version is a simple butter cake with fresh plums and a little cinnamon. The plums make the cake soft and juicy, while the cinnamon adds a warm, sweet flavour. It is easy to make and perfect for sharing with family and friends.

Ingredients

Serves: 8

• 400 g fresh plums
• 250 g plain flour
• 200 g softened butter
• 170 g sugar (or less, if you prefer)
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Preparation time: About 1 hour

1. Wash the plums, remove the stones, and cut them into wedges. Sprinkle them lightly with ground cinnamon.
2. Put the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla sugar into a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and creamy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
4. In another bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time. Stir with a spoon until everything is combined. Do not overmix the batter. It should be thick but easy to spoon.
5. Line a 21 cm round baking tin with baking paper. Spoon the batter into the tin and spread it evenly.
6. Press one-third of the plum wedges into the batter. Place the remaining plums on top and press them in gently.
7. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan oven) for 45–60 minutes. The baking time depends on your oven and the size of the cake. Check if the cake is ready by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
8. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting. For the best flavour, leave it to rest for a few hours before serving.

Tips

• If you bake the cake in a larger tin (24–26 cm), you can place all the plum pieces on top of the batter.
• If the top of the cake becomes too brown before it is fully baked, reduce the oven temperature by 15–20°C and continue baking until a wooden skewer comes out clean.