Plum Perfect: Plum and Walnut Cake

As much as I love a ripe, juicy plum, there's a small part of me that dreads the start of plum season because it usually means that summer is winding down and fall is just around the corner.

This lovely cake, which perfectly balances the flavours of tangy plums, fresh lemon zest, rich walnuts and warm spices is ideal for keeping the chill of late-summer evenings at bay, especially with a big mug of tea to accompany it.

...and should a craving strike before plum is upon us once more (which is perfectly normal, given how good this cake is), you can rest assured that you won't have to wait for months. Conveniently enough, this cake is equally delicious made with canned apricots and ground almonds, which are available year-round.

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Plum and Walnut Cake

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• Author: Isabelle Boucher (Crumb)
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

This simple cake balances the flavours of tangy fresh plums and lemon zest with rich walnuts and warm spices. Pair it with a piping-hot mug of hot black tea to help ward off the chill of late-summer evenings.

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Ingredients

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1 cup flour

½ cup ground walnuts

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ cup butter

¾ cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

⅓ cup canola oil

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract

8 prune plums, halved and pitted

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter an 8x8 square baking dish, and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger.
3. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until well combined. Stir in the oil, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extract. Stir the flour mixture, mixing with a wooden spoon until just combined (it's okay if the batter is still a little streaky).
4. Pour the batter in the prepared dish, then gently smooth the top. Arrange the plums on top, skin side up. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or cold as the perfect finish to a late-summer-slash-early-fall picnic.

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Desserts