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This plum yogurt cake is a really delicious and simple bake that is perfect to make when plums are in season. It has a beautifully soft and moist sponge, topped with sliced plums and demerara sugar. Once baked, it’s golden on top but soft and light in the center. I like to add a dollop of softly whipped vanilla cream to make the most delicious dessert.
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The inspiration behind this cake comes from Torta di Susine – an Italian plum cake which is enjoyed pretty much any time of day (including breakfast!). It is unbelievably simple to make and uses just one bowl (like my raspberry and almond cake), so you don’t even need to worry about the washing up.
This plum yogurt cake doesn’t include butter, which is very typical of sponge cakes. Instead, the fat comes from a combination of Greek yogurt and olive oil. This helps create a beautifully soft texture which stays moist for longer than if you used butter.
Why you will love this recipe
- It is a super easy one-bowl cake recipe. Ideal for all baking abilities.
- It is perfect for using an abundance of plums.
- It looks impressive and is ideal for serving to friends for teatime or dessert.
- It is full of flavor and texture. Imagine a soft, moist sponge, infused with sweet vanilla, topped with sliced plums and crunchy demerara sugar.
- It is so versatile – you can switch up the fruit according to whatever is in season.
Ingredients
- Superfine sugar – Known as caster sugar in the UK.
- Plums – Opt for small, ripe plums – any color you like! You want plums that are just slightly squidgy but still firm to touch. Give them a light squeeze between your fingers to test the ripeness. If they are hard, they aren’t quite ready yet. If they are too soft, use them to make a delicious plum crumble or fruit pie. You want a slight give and bounce but not completely soft.
Substitutions and variations
Olive oil – Swap for a flavorless oil like sunflower or vegetable oil, if you prefer. Avoid using extra-virgin olive oil as it is rather expensive, and there’s no need in a cake like this.
Sugar – You can swap the superfine sugar for granulated sugar or golden caster sugar. For the topping, you can use any brown sugar if you don’t have demerara. You will still get the toffee-ish flavor, but it won’t be quite as crunchy.
Fruit – If plums aren’t in season, you can use all sorts of fruit in this recipe. Stone fruit like apricots, peaches, and nectarines work well. So do berries like raspberries, cherries, blackberries, and/or blueberries.
Spices – Swap the lemon zest for orange zest. Or add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the plums before laying on the cake.
How to make plum yogurt cake
Here’s a quick visual guide — the full recipe with exact measurements is below.
FIRST: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan). Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl. Rub the two together with your fingertips until combined.
TWO: Prepare the plums by slicing the plums in half and removing the stone.
THREE: Cut into slices (not too thin, not too thick). I like a chunkier slice, but you can slice it to your preference.
FOUR: Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the lemon sugar and whisk until pale, light, and bubbly – this takes approximately one minute.
FIVE: Add the yogurt, followed by the olive oil, and whisk until fully combined.
SIX: Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt and, using a spatula, fold gently until a few streaks of flour remain.
SEVEN: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth over the surface using a spatula. Arrange the plum slices on top.
EIGHT: Sprinkle it with demerara sugar (this adds a delicious crunch). Bake in the oven for about 50-55 minutes – or until golden brown and the sponge springs back or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Tips from Margie’s kitchen
- Ripe plums: Make sure your plums are perfectly ripe before making this cake (they should just be firm to touch). If they are underripe, they won’t taste as sweet. Equally, if they are overripe, they will make the plum yogurt cake soggy.
- Don’t overbeat the batter: Please don’t stress if there are a few lumps in the batter; they will dissolve as the cake bakes. It is better to have a slightly lumpy batter rather than overbeating it, which makes the cake tough.
- Salt: Adding a pinch of salt to the cream won’t make it taste salty. Instead, it helps cut through the richness and balance out the sweetness of the vanilla.
- Cold cream: Whenever you want to whip cream, use it straight from the fridge. For some reason, I find it whips better and quicker when fridge-cold.
Frequently asked questions
You can use any type of plums you wish, as long as they are ripe. You can even use a mixture for a pretty multicolor effect.
Using Greek yogurt in your cake batter helps create the most beautifully moist, soft cake. It also adds a slight tangy flavor. The combination of yogurt and olive oil in this plum yogurt cake also means it keeps its lovely texture over a few days.
Absolutely. Other stone fruits like apricots, nectarines, and peaches work really well in the summer. Alternatively, scatter with berries like pitted and halved cherries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries. I like to adjust to whatever is in season.
There is no need to peel the plums before baking this plum yogurt cake. In fact, the peel helps the slices keep their shape, which makes for a prettier-looking cake.
No, it doesn’t have the fat content necessary for this cake, and it won’t be as moist. Use full-fat here for the best results!
Other recipes you might enjoy
If you like the sound of this plum yogurt cake, try my French “gâteau au yaourt”. Also don’t miss my brown butter peaches and cream, caramelized apple tart or caramelized banana upside down cake.
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Orange and Almond Cake
If you tried this Plum Yogurt Cake or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a comment and let us know how it went!
Plum Yogurt Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 7 oz superfine sugar (caster sugar), about 1 cup
- 1/2 lemon, zested (add zest of 1 lemon if you prefer)
- 5-6 small, ripe plums
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 8.8 oz full-fat Greek yogurt, about 1 cup; at room temperature
- 5 fl oz olive oil, about 2/3 cup
- 8.8 oz all-purpose flour (plain flour), about 2 cups
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar, for sprinkling
For the vanilla whipped cream:
- 5 fl oz heavy cream (double cream), about 2/3 cup; cold from the fridge
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, optional
Instructions
For the plum yogurt cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan). Grease the base and sides of a 7-inch (18 cm) round springform or loose-bottom cake pan with butter and line the base with parchment paper (if using a loose-bottom tin, you may wish to line the sides too).
- Make the lemon sugar: Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl. Rub the two together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist, lightly lemon-colored, and filled with the zesty lemon fragrance. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the plums: slice them in half and remove the stone. Cut into slices (not too thin, not too thick). I like a chunkier slice, but you can slice it to your preference.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the lemon sugar and whisk until pale, light, and bubbly – this takes approximately 1 minute. You can use an electric whisk if you like, but definitely not necessary for this cake.
- Add the yogurt, followed by the olive oil, and whisk until fully combined.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a spatula, fold gently until a few streaks of flour remain. Small lumps in the batter are totally fine – don't be tempted to over-mix!
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth over the surface using a spatula. Arrange the plum slices on top, on their sides. Sprinkle it with demerara sugar (this adds a delicious crunch).
- Bake in the oven for about 50-55 minutes – or until golden brown and the sponge springs back, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Have a look at about 45 minutes – if the cake is browning too quickly, then cover in a tent of aluminum foil and continue to bake.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then carefully run a butter knife around the edge and remove the cake from the pan. Return to the wire rack to finish cooling completely.
For the optional vanilla whipped cream:
- Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk just until soft peaks start to form (you can do this by hand or using an electric whisk). Take care not to over whisk… although if you do and it becomes a little too firm (but isn’t at the butter stage), simply pour in some unwhipped cream and use a spoon or rubber spatula to fold it into the stiff cream. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if desired.
- Cut the cake into slices and serve with a spoonful of the softly whipped vanilla cream.
Notes
Make-ahead and storage
To store: this plum yogurt cake will keep for up to 3 days in a sealed container. To reheat: you can warm slices of this plum yogurt cake for 10-15 seconds in the microwave, if you like. I like it at room temperature. To freeze: I wouldn’t recommend freezing, as the fruit can bleed into the cake, which changes the texture (and the plums can also change texture themselves). Make ahead: I often make this cake a day in advance as it keeps well overnight, either in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.More quick tips
Fruit: You can use all sorts of fruit in this recipe. Stone fruit like apricots, peaches, and nectarines work well. So do berries like raspberries, cherries, blackberries and/or blueberries. Almond extract: If you can’t have almonds, simply omit the almond extract. Serving suggestions: Swap the softly whipped vanilla cream for a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt if you prefer tangier flavors (you can swirl through some runny honey or vanilla extract, if desired). Alternatively, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is delicious if you are having it for pudding. Nutrition Facts: The calories listed do not include the optional vanilla whipped cream.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is absolutely divine. I made it with apricots and the sweetness of the cake balanced the tartness of the apricots PERFECTLY. Besides being the most gorgeous cake I’ve ever made, it tasted like heaven. Do not hesitate, make the cake. I imagine it’s perfection with any stone fruit or berries.
This cake is so delicious, really easy to make and doesn’t dry out over time. Such a good way to bake with plums!