Plum and Almond Traybake Cake

Plum and Almond Traybake Cake has a soft almond sponge base, studded with juicy plum halves and sprinkled with flaked almonds.  It’s a quick and easy bake that combines so many delicious flavours.

Square of Plum and Almond Cake on a small decorated plate withplums and almonds and a cake fork.

All the plums

Plum and Almond Traybake Cake was the result of me buying too many plums. I get a little over-excited by all the seasonal autumn fruits like plums, pears, and figs, that appear in the shops at this time of year and buy more than I can eat.

Some years when there is an exceptional plum harvest, I also get gifts of buckets of plums from friends with plum trees. Of course, I make plum jam but I also like to make desserts. This time I thought I try the classic combination of plums and almonds.

Plum and Almond Traybake Cake is such a simple one-bowl recipe, and because it’s baked in a shallow tin it’s ready in just 30 minutes.

Bowl of plums

What are plums?

Plums are part of a group of stone fruits that includes greengages, mirabelles, damsons, and cherry plums.

What kind of plums should I use for Plum and Almond Traybake Cake?

Use dessert plums for this recipe. The plums you buy in markets and supermarkets are usually dessert plums.  They may simply be labelled as British Plums or Yellow Plums or you may get a variety such as Victoria.

Use plums which are still a little bit firm but not rock hard and unripe. A very ripe plum will totally disintegrate in the cake and a really unripe plum will remain hard and sour.

almonds

What are Almonds?

The almond is not a true nut, it is really a seed found inside a hard shell. For this recipe, you need ground almonds (almond meal), almond extract, and flaked almonds to decorate the top of the cake.

Square of Plum and Almond Traybake Cake on a tea towel with fresh plums and flaked almonds on the side.

Can you freeze Plum & Almond Traybake Cake?

Yes, you can freeze this cake. Cut it into squares and freeze it in a container for up to 6 months. Defrost slowly on a wire grid covered with a tea towel or kitchen paper.

How to make Plum & Almond Traybake Cake

This is a one-bowl cake mix which makes it really easy. The only things that don’t go straight in the bowl are the plums and flaked almonds.

Bowl with butter, eggs, flour and sugar

Put the almond cake ingredients into a large bowl

  • Self-Raising Flour
  • Baking Powder
  • Butter (or baking spread)
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Sugar
  • Ground Almonds
  • Almond Extract

Beat all these ingredients together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.

How do I make plain (all-purpose) flour into self-raising flour?

Baking pan with cake mix in it and halved plums

Assemble the cake

  • Line a traybake baking pan with baking parchment.
  • Put the almond cake mixture into a traybake baking pan.
  • Halve the plums and remove the stones.
Cake pan with mixture topped with halved plums.

Add the plums and flaked almonds

Lay out the plums evenlyacross the traybake. The plums I have are quite large, if you have smaller plums you can place them four across. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds.

Plum and Almond Cake on cooling tray with fresh plums and flaked almonds.

Bake!

  • Bake at 170C for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the cake from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool.
Plum and almond cake cut into squares

How to serve Plum and Almond Traybake Cake

Serve it warm as a dessert with cream, ice cream or custard. Or let it cool completely and serve up a square with a cup of tea or coffee. 

It’s great for using up excess fruit, but it’s such a tasty bake that it’s well worth buying plums just to make this easy traybake cake.

More Plum Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

Easy Plum Jam
A recipe for a simple jam using dessert plums, ideal to spread on bread, toast, croissants and scones.
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Cinnamon Spice Pancakes with Plum Compote
Cinnamon Spice Pancakes are thick American style pancakes with added spice. They have a lovely sweet cinnamon flavour are delicious with Greek yogurt and plum compote. Perfect for breakfast or even for dessert.
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Cinnamon Spice Pancakes with Plum Compote
Low Sugar Plum Jam (Small Batch)
Low Sugar Plum Jam is a fresh and fruity spread that is ideal to serve with bread, scones or toast. It uses much less sugar than traditional jam and is quick and easy to make. 
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Low Sugar Plum Jam on toast
Square of plum and almond traybake cake.
cut squares of cake with fresh plums and flaked almonds

Plum and Almond Traybake Cake

Farmersgirl Kitchen
A perfectly simple almond sponge cake dimpled with juicy ripe plums, sprinkled with flaked almonds and baked to perfection, the perfect way to use up an excess of plums. 
4.34 from 9 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine British
Servings 12
Calories 275 kcal

Equipment

  • 12 x 9 in (30 x 22.5 cm) baking tin
  • weighing scales
  • Measuring spoons
  • Large bowl
  • electric mixer or whisk
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients

  • 6 large (6 large) plums
  • 175 grams (1.5 cups) soft butter or baking spread
  • 200 grams (1.6 cups) self-raising flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon (1 1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
  • 25 grams (2 tablespoon) ground almonds
  • 175 grams (1 cups) caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) almond extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tablespoon (3 tablespoon) milk
  • 15 grams (1 tablespoon) flaked almonds

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 170C
  • Line a with baking parchment.
  • Halve the plums and remove the stones.
  • Place all the ingredients, except the plums and flaked almonds, in a large bowl.
  • Mix with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until well blended.
  • Put the mixture into the lined tin and spread evenly.
  • Place the plums cut side down across the mixture .
  • Sprinkle over the flaked almonds
  • Bake for about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sponge springs back when pressed.
  • Leave to cool in the tin, then remove to a cooling tray.
  • Serve cut into squares.

Notes

You can serve this cake warm as a dessert with cream or ice cream.  It is also very good served as a cake with tea or coffee. 

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 20mgPotassium: 164mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 544IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg
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16 Comments

    1. ha ha, as if I would leave in the stones! Mind you my gran used to leave the stones in her plum jam, you had to be careful.

    1. Ha ha, I think we all have a food prop obsession as food bloggers! The fork comes from a Great Brtish Bake Off set I got in a sale in Tesco last year. The plate was a gift and is supposed to be decorative only, but I’m not one for ornaments!

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Recipe Rating




4.34 from 9 votes (7 ratings without comment)