How to make plum cake at home? Here’s a step by step recipe with tips, eggless version and FAQs so you can bake this Christmas classic perfectly every time.
Introduction: Let’s Talk About Plum Cake
Let’s be real. Every time when December comes around, everyone starts remembering plum cake. Shops stock them, bakeries show off their prettiest boxes, and there’s that one auntie who swears hers is the “most authentic.” But nothing, and I mean nothing, beats the smell of making plum cake at home.
If you’re here wondering how to make plum cake, you’re in for a treat. I’m going to walk you through the traditional recipe, my slightly lazy hacks, and even an eggless version for my vegetarian buddies. Oh, and I’ll answer some of the questions people keep DM-ing me about this cake (like “why does my plum cake turn bitter?” or “do I need to soak fruits for a year?”). Spoiler: you don’t.
This is not one of those stiff, boring, essay-like posts. Think of it as me sitting in your kitchen with a cup of coffee, chatting while you tie your apron.
How to Make Plum Cake at Home?
Alright, let’s start with the basics. Plum cake isn’t really about plums, which always shocks people. It’s actually a rich fruit cake, packed with dried fruits and nuts that are usually soaked in rum or brandy for weeks or even months, if you’re hardcore. The soaking makes everything plump and flavorful, and the spices in the batter gives that Christmassy vibes.
Now, there are hundreds of ways to do this, but I’ll share a version that works without demanding you to start in July.
Ingredients for Traditional Plum Cake:
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dry fruits: Raisins, black currants, prunes, dates, dried figs, cranberries. Basically, a fruit market!
- Nuts: Cashews, almonds, walnuts. Chop them small.
- Alcohol (optional): Rum or brandy. If you don’t drink, orange juice or apple juice works.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger powder.
- Flour: All-purpose.
- Sugar: Brown sugar works the best
- Butter: Softened, not melted.
- Eggs: Room temp.
- Baking powder + soda.
- Vanilla extract.
- Caramel: Yep, this is the secret sauce that makes our plum cake dark and rich.
Step by Step: How to Make Plum Cake the Classic Way!
Step 1 – Soak the Fruits
Traditionally, you have to soak your dried fruits in rum or brandy for at least a week. If you forgot (happens to me half the time), you can cheat on it by simmering them into orange juice for 15–20 minutes or until plump. It’s not the same, but hey, yes it works!
Step 2 – Make the Caramel
Heat sugar in a pan until it melts and turns a deep brown (don’t burn it!). Add a splash of water to thin it out. This caramel gives that gorgeous dark color to your cake.
Step 3 – Mix the Batter
- Whisk butter and brown sugar until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one by one, then vanilla.
- Sieve your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices).
- Add caramel and soaked fruits.
- Don’t overmix.
Step 4 – Bake
- Line your cake tin with butter paper.
- Pour the prepared batter in the tin , tap it gently to release the air bubbles.
- Bake it at 160°C (320°F) for about 50–60 minutes.
- Use toothpick to check the cake that it is baked or not.
- The smell at this point? Absolute heaven.
Eggless Plum Cake Recipe:
Now, my vegetarian friends always ask me if plum cake is possible without eggs. The answer is 100% yes. The texture is a little different—denser but still soft.
Ingredients for Eggless Plum Cake:
- All the same dried fruits and nuts as above.
- Flour, baking powder, baking soda.
- Brown sugar.
- Butter or oil (if you want a lighter feel).
- Yogurt (this is your egg replacement).
- Milk or orange juice to loosen the batter.
- Caramel + spices, as before.
Steps for Eggless Plum Cake:
- Soak fruits (same story).
- Make caramel (again, same).
- Whisk sugar and butter, add yogurt to it and mix well.
- Add dry ingredients, caramel, soaked fruits.
- Adjust the consistency of your batter with milk or juice if too thick.
- Bake at the same temp.
The result: moist, fragrant, and festive. Nobody will know it’s eggless unless you tell them.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Plum Cake:
- Don’t skip the caramel. Without caramel, you are just baking a brown bread with raisins.
- Soak longer if you can. A month in rum? That’s flavor city.
- Let it cool down completely. Don’t cut it when hot. The cake sets as it cools.
- Wrap it and let it rest. Plum cake tastes better after a day or two, when the flavor settles down.
- Experiment with spices. Cardamom adds a fun Indian twist.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Burning of caramel. It goes from perfect to bitter in just 5 seconds.
- Overbaking. Dry plum cake = sad plum cake.
- Skipping the lining paper. Trust me, you don’t want to scrape stuck fruit from your tin.
- Too much alcohol. A splash is fine, but you don’t want people tipsy off one slice.
How to Store Plum Cake?
- Wrap it in a parchment paper and then with a foil.
- Keep it in an air tight container.
- It stays fresh for a week outside, two weeks in the fridge.
- And you can even freeze slices for up to 3 months.
FAQs About Plum Cake:
1.Does plum cake actually have plums?
Nope. This name came from the old English word “plums,” which meant dried fruits.
2.Can I make plum cake without alcohol?
Yes! You can, use orange juice or apple juice as a replacement.
3.Why is my plum cake bitter?
It is mostly because of burnt caramel or too much baking soda.
4.Do I need to soak fruits for a year?
Not necessary, unless you want to. A week is great, overnight works and even the quick-boil trick works in a pinch.
5.Can I make it vegan?
Yep—replace butter with oil or vegan butter, and yogurt with flaxseed gel or plant-based curd.
6.What nuts are best for plum cake?
Almonds and walnuts are the classics, but honestly, use what you have. Even pistachios work.
Final Thoughts:
So that’s pretty much everything you need to know about how to make plum cake, both the traditional and eggless way. Don’t stress if yours doesn’t look like a magazine cover. Plum cake isn’t about perfection it’s about the warmth, family and that little moment of joy when you take your first bite.
Bake it once, and I swear it’ll become your December tradition too.