This easy yogurt plum cake is light, moist, and tender. A delicious summer cake that's simple to make and is perfect with coffee or tea.
This yogurt plum cake is the perfect combination of sweet and tart with a slightly crunchy brown sugar topping. It requires just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time.
If you love stone fruit, try my peach crumble pie, my peach jam without pectin, my chocolate cherry brownies, or my black forest ice cream.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
- A classic. This cake is adapted from the famous Plum Torte recipe published in the New York Times by Marian Burros in the 1980s. I adapted it to include vanilla extract and Greek yogurt, which gives it a flavor boost and an amazing texture.
- It's incredibly easy. This is an easy plum cake with yogurt and you only need one cake pan.
- It has few ingredients. You only need a handful of ingredients, most of which you probably already have.
- It's impressive. Apart from being delicious, this cake is so pretty! You don't need to decorate it.
What you'll need
Ingredients for Plum Cake
- Fresh plums - You can use any variety. Make sure they are ripe, but firm.
- Flour - You'll need all purpose flour.
- Sugar - I use granulated sugar.
- Baking powder - It helps the cake rise. Make sure your baking powder hasn't expired.
- Greek yogurt - I use plain Greek yogurt (Total 2%), but you could use full-fat.
- Vanilla - I use pure vanilla extract. You could also use equal amounts of vanilla bean paste instead of the extract.
- Butter - You'll need unsalted butter.
- Eggs - Just two medium eggs.
- Salt - It enhances the overall flavor of the cake.
- Cinnamon & Brown sugar - This is for the topping. Cinnamon pairs so well with this plums and vanilla cake.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Equipment you'll need
- 8-inch round springform pan
- mixing bowls
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- parchment paper
How to make yogurt cake with fresh plums
Step-by-step Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In another large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until well-blended.
3. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating until well-combined.
4. Add the yogurt and mix to combine.
5. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Don't overmix the batter at this point.
6. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
7. Cut the plums in half and place them on the batter, cut side down. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar.
8. Bake the cake and let it cool before removing it from the pan.
You can serve this cake slightly warm with vanilla ice cream!
Recipe notes
Storage tips & freezing instructions
You can store the cake in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.
To freeze, let the cake cool completely and wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then place in freezer bags. You can freeze the cake for up to about 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Variations
- Add texture - Add a streusel topping like in my streusel top apple muffins, or a crumble topping for extra crunch from this easy strawberry and apple crumble. You could also add some chopped nuts. I think almonds would be nice.
- Glaze - You can drizzle the cake with a simple lemon glaze. This homemade salted caramel sauce is delicious with this plum yogurt cake, too.
- Spiced cake - For a spicier cake, add some other warm spices like nutmeg, or cardamom to the batter.
- Add some lemon - Add some freshly grated lemon zest to the batter for a citrus flavor.
Tips for success
- Use fresh ripe, but firm fruit. If the plums are too soft, it'll be difficult to cut them and they won't hold their shape when baked.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This ensures everything blends well for a lump-free cake batter.
- Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in a dense, tough cake.
- Use a springform pan. I love this pan because you can easily remove the cake without ruining the top. If you don't have a springform pan, you can use a regular 8 inch cake and serve the cake straight out of the pan.
- Let the cake cool. You'll need to let it cool for about 10 minutes before removing the outer ring of the pan.
Frequently asked questions
You can use any variety, as long as they're ripe, but firm and not too soft.
Absolutely! You can use other fresh fruit like peaches, blueberries, apricots, apples, pears, or even cherries.
To me, Greek yogurt works best for its tanginess and it really adds moisture. You could substitute it with equal amounts of sour cream.
Related recipes
Happy Baking!
Let me know how this easy yogurt plum cake turns out for you in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you!
Recipe
Easy Yogurt Plum Cake
Equipment
- 8 inch (20cm) springfrom pan
- parchment paper
- mixing bowls
- hand mixer
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (160g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (113g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- one 5.3 ounce container plain Greek yogurt (150g)
- 5-6 plums, pitted and halved or quartered (about 1 pound/453g)
For the topping
- ½ tablespoon light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Before You Start:
For best results, please read through the full post before beginning the recipe.
Instructions
Preheat the oven and prep the pan
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃.
- Butter the pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
Make the cake batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.1 ¼ cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In another large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar on medium speed until well-combined and creamy.½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
- Add the yogurt and mix until well-combined.one 5.3 ounce container plain Greek yogurt
- Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Don't overmix the batter.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Arrange the plum slices on top of the batter, skin side up. There's no need to press them into the batter.5-6 plums, pitted and halved or quartered
- Make the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and the cinnamon.½ tablespoon light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over the top.
- Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pan before releasing the latch and removing the outer ring.
- Let the cake cool or serve warm with ice cream.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh ripe, but firm fruit, so they hold their shape when baked.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure everything blends well for a lump-free cake batter.
- Don't overmix the batter.
- Use a springform pan to remove the cake easily.
To freeze, let the cake cool completely and wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then place in freezer bags. You can freeze the cake for up to about 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Picture Tutorial & Tips I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success. Baking Measurements I have used weight measurements for all the recipes on this website. Even though I have also included American volume measurements for convenience, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh all ingredients for the most accurate measurements. Digital kitchen scales are more precise than cups, which is so important in baking, and they give the most accurate, consistent results. Happy baking! Related recipes Pear and Chocolate Cake Blueberry Chocolate Cake Strawberry Charlotte Cake French Cherry Dessert ©Pastry Wishes
Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what you think: