Autumn Spice and Everything Nice
Like cream with berries in summer, there is no better match than warming spices for cold weather.
Warming spices are paired with tart plums in this simple spiced plum cake. Choose plums that are semi-ripe, but not too soft. Plums are available in early autumn, however, feel free to use apples when they are no longer available in your area. For this recipe, use the freshest spices possible for the best flavour—dust off your mortar and pestle or spice grinder if need be.
Prep time 25 min
Bake time 45–50 min
Instructions
Ingredients
5-6 semi-ripe medium-sized plums, washed, stemmed and pitted
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp fine ground cardamom
½ tsp fresh grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground ginger
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¾ cup plain full-fat yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp granulated sugar for topping
Method
Centre the oven rack and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with baking paper and lightly grease the sides. Set aside. Slice the plums into ¼-inch slices. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for roughly 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition. Mix in the yogurt and vanilla until combined.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined (the batter will be fairly thick). Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and using a spatula, spread the batter evenly and smooth the top.
Arrange the plum slices on top of the batter in concentric circles. Sprinkle the top with the remaining granulated sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before carefully running a knife around the circumference and removing the cake from the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before serving with coffee, tea or whipped cream.
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