This yogurt plum cake has a tender, moist crumb (olive oil and yogurt help keep it soft). The plums cook down into soft, fruity jewelsthat caramelize where they touch the pan. Basic pantry ingredients make this a perfect anytime cake that's quick to put together.This is an easy, gently sweetened plum cake recipe that you can eat for breakfast, snack or dessert.
227grams (1 cup)unsweetened yogurt (Greek or regular), room temperature
2teaspoonsbaking powder
2 grams (½ teaspoon)kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
180grams (1½ cups)all purpose flour
3largeblack plums(if smaller, purchase a few extra)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177° Celsius, Gas mark 4). Line an 8 inch (20 cm) pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. Set aside.
Cut plums in half and remove pits. Slice each half into four wedges. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add olive oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Whisk thoroughly for at least a minute until fully mixed and a bit lighter in color and consistency.
Add yogurt and whisk again until no lumps remain.
Add flour, baking powder and salt. Using a spatula or spoon, gently stir just until flour is incorporated. There will be small lumps in the batter. Don't try to remove them or you'll overmix the batter and it will be too dense.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. See the little lumps in the batter? They're going to disappear - it's OK!
Place sliced plums onto batter, starting at the outside and working your way in. Don't press the plums into the batter - you want them to stay on top. Sprinkle the exposed batter with a generous amount of coarse Turbinado (raw) sugar.
Bake cake on middle rack of oven for 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177° Celsius, Gas mark 4). The cake is done baking when golden brown and starting to pull away from the edges of the pan.
Place on rack to cool completely. If desired, sprinkle cake with powdered sugar immediately prior to serving. Serve plain or with yogurt, whipped cream or crème fraîche.
Notes
Be sure to test the cake with a toothpick or paring knife when finished baking. The toothpick should come out with just a few crumbs attached. If it's still gooey, bake the cake for 5 more minutes and then test again. I like to put the toothpick in the cake near the side of a plum, as the batter underneath takes a bit longer to cook due to the additional moisture.Don't overbake, or this deliciously moist cake will be dry!Plums - feel free to use any type of plums for this recipe. If using Damson plums (Italian prune plums), make sure they are nice and ripe as they tend to be a bit tart otherwise.The blog post has detailed step-by-step photos for making this cake if you'd like to reference them. There are also notes with substitutions and variations:www.theflouredtable.com/yogurt-plum-cake/Enjoy!