Enjoy the perfect blend of sweet plums and nutty almonds in this easy-to-make Plum and Almond Loaf Cake. A moist, delicious bake ideal for afternoon tea or a simple family treat.
One thing I love about September and October is baking. The cooling weather and darker days are perfect for fruity bakes (not to mention gorgeous warming casseroles!) and rich, sweet treats.
I don’t like autumn or winter, but things like this almond plum cake get me through.
It’s a super simple plum loaf cake using my basic cake batter recipe with a few tasty additions.
Why I Love Plum and Almond Loaf Cake
Plum and almond cake is fabulous because:
- Almond plum cake is a little different.
- It’s absolutely delicious.
- It’s not a bake that needs fancy decorations to look impressive.
- I rarely use plums, so this one always feels extra special.
- Your kitchen will smell phenomenal!
Ingredients For Plum and Almond Loaf Cake
When I make my easy plum and almond cake, I use:
Margarine – You can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
Caster Sugar – Golden caster sugar is great, too.
Eggs
Almond Extract
Self Raising Flour
Baking Powder – I don’t typically use baking powder with self-raising flour, but there’s a lot going on in this batter, so it’s good to give it a hand.
Ground Almonds
Plums – 300g is about six plums, which is typically what they are sold in.
Flaked Almonds
Damson Plum Jam
You’ll Also Need
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- A large mixing bowl
- Electric hand whisk
- Silicone Spatula
- 900g Loaf Tin
- Reusable baking paper
- A sharp knife and chopping board to prepare the plums.
How to Make Plum and Almond Loaf Cake – Step-by-Step Instructions
Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (fan-assisted) and grease or line a 900g loaf tin. I grease and add a strip of reusable baking paper.
Step Two
Whisk the margarine and caster sugar until smooth. I use an electric hand whisk, and it takes a minute or two.
Step Three
Add the eggs and almond extract and whisk. You can whisk them in one at a time, but I do it all together.
Step Four
Tip in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder.
Step Five
Whisk until even. It won’t seem smooth because the ground almonds make it a little gritty. Don’t worry about it.
Step Six
Fold through most of the plums, retaining about a handful.
Step Seven
Tip into the loaf tin and spread evenly.
Step Eight
Scatter over the remaining plums. The plums will sink a little, so adding some to the top instead of folding them in means they’ll stay higher up in the batter instead of all ending up at the bottom.
Step Nine
Bake for 1 – 1 hour and 15 minutes, inserting a skewer to ensure the middle is cooked before removing from the oven.
I recommend checking after an hour.
If at any point the top looks like it’s going to burn, carefully cover it lightly with foil.
Step Ten
Spread the jam over the still-warm cake and sprinkle on the flaked almonds to decorate.
I’ve seen some recipes warm the jam, but it’ll warm as soon as it touches the still-hot cake and will be easy to spread. I use a silicone spatula.
You can sieve if you want to, but I don’t mind it a little lumpy.
If you want your almonds to have a little colour, lightly toast them on a tray in the oven before scattering them over.
Step Eleven
Leave in the tin to cool completely before carefully removing to a wire rack.
Serving Suggestions
I love this plum cake with almonds just as it is. A nice thick slice with a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon.
But it would be lovely with a dollop of whipped or clotted cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of pouring cream, or even some custard.
Variations
If you don’t want such a strong almond flavour, you can skip the extract.
You could also sprinkle a little powdered sugar on the top.
Storage
Store your cake in an airtight container or under a lid in a stand. It doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge.
Your almond and plum cake will be lovely for 2-3 days.
FAQ
Plums will sink a little, which is why I scatter some onto the top before baking instead of folding through.
Reduce this by chopping them fairly small.
Plum cake is special because it’s delicious and often seen as more expensive than other fruity cakes.
Other Recipes
If you like this plum and almond cake recipe, you might also want to try:
- Sticky Ginger Loaf Cake
- Strawberry and White Chocolate Loaf Cake
- Apple and Cinnamon Loaf Cake
- Cherry Loaf Cake
- Lemon and Raspberry Loaf Cake
- Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake
Plum and Almond Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 175 g Margarine
- 175 g Caster Sugar
- 3 Medium Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
- 175 g Self Raising Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 100 g Ground Almonds
- 300 g Plums (de-stoned and roughly chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon Flaked Almonds (Optional)
- 2 Tablespoons Damson Plum Jam (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (fan-assisted) and grease or line a 900g loaf tin.
- Whisk the margarine and caster sugar until smooth.
- Add the eggs and almond extract and whisk.
- Tip in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder.
- Whisk until even.
- Fold through most of the plums, retaining about a handful.
- Tip into the loaf tin and spread evenly.
- Scatter over the remaining plums.
- Bake for 1 – 1 hour and 15 minutes, inserting a skewer to ensure the middle is cooked before removing from the oven.
- Spread the jam over the still-warm cake and sprinkle on the flaked almonds to decorate.
- Leave in the tin to cool completely before removing carefully.
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
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