This Italian Plum Cake Recipe Has A Secret You Should Know

Unlike plum cake recipes that aren’t Italian, this version does not include an ingredient that you might expect, but it is still easy and delicious.

When I first moved to Rome and I learned about a popular dessert known as plum cake, I was very excited. I love fruit filled cakes and I’ve enjoyed apple and pear cakes quite often, so you can probably imagine my excitement. However, when I first bought one in the store, I was surprised at the one missing ingredient, plums.

Traditional Roman (and more broadly Italian) plum cake, despite its name, is without any fruit. It is a simple, yet delicious cake that you typically make in a loaf pan. There are variations. This recipe had lemon and cinnamon seasoning, but others have some chocolate mixed in. These are sweet, but there are also more savory cakes.

In the coming weeks, I will also be making these savory versions. One has a soft, fresh cheese mixed in, and the third one will have bacon. These will demonstrate the ease of preparing the cake, but also the versatility of such a simple recipe. Try them all and you will certainly be amazed.

Pasta Maker	Gnocchi Board	Pasta Board	Ravioli Maker
Ravioli Press/Stamper	Ricer	Bialetti Pasta Pot	Bamboo Cutting Board Set of 3
Silpat Baking Mat	Santoku Knife	Measuring Cups and Spoons	Stainless Mixing Bowls
Dutch Oven	Mesh Strainers	Stainless Colander	Stainless Steel Fry Pan

Plum Cake Ingredient Recommendations

Plums, Or Any Other Kind Of Fruit

As mentioned, there are no plums in this Italian version. You can find a ton of recipes online that have fruit, and many of them are the British version, but I can assure you that the authentic Italian version contains no fruit. I highly recommend trying this version first, and then trying it with fruit in the future just to see which you prefer.

Lemon Zest

This isn’t required, but it adds a nice subtle lemon flavor. You can skip it in a pinch, or try another citrus, like an orange, and see how you enjoy it.

Anise (Anice) Powder Is Optional

I left anise off the recipe because it is not only optional, but my wife hates it, so this version skips it. This version includes cinnamon, honey and the lemon zest for the aromatic flavors, but you can vary this as you like. Being fall, you could try cinnamon, clove and nutmeg if you like the pumpkin pie flavors. You could try adding the anise or go with a heavy influence of vanilla. The choice is yours.

Only Use A Loaf Pan

The type of pan you use is important. This time I used a silicon pan, but next time I plan to use a glass pan. We got rid of our metal loaf pan when we moved, so that isn’t currently an option. These cook differently, so you will want to be careful when checking for doneness.

The shape is also important. The loaf pan is the proper pan. These are pans you would use to cook a pullman loaf, or a quickbread like banana bread. Don’t use a round pan.

It surprised me to learn that when you translate  “Loaf Pan” from English to Italian, it translates to: Stampo per Plumcake, which as you might imagine translates to Pan for Plumcake.

Italian Plum Cake Recipe

• Difficulty: Easy
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins
• Servings: 8

Plum Cake Ingredients

• 8 ounces (250 grams) of “00” or All Purpose Flour
• 7 ounces (200 grams) of unsalted softened Butter
• 7 ounces (200 grams) of Sugar
• 5 large Eggs
• 2 heaping tablespoons of Honey
• 1/3 ounce (8 grams) of Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon Powder
• The zest of 1 Lemon

Cooking Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325° F
• If you are using a glass or metal loaf pan, grease and line it with baking (or parchment) paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer until it becomes too thick then switch to whisk until it is spreadable.
• Add the honey, cinnamon and lemon zest to the bowl and mix well.
• One by one, crack an egg into a small glass bowl to confirm the egg is OK, add to the mixture and mix well. Repeat for all 5 eggs.
• Add the flour through a fine mesh sieve.
• Add the baking powder and mix well and add to the loaf pan.
• Add the pan to the oven and let it bake for around 50 minutes.
• Check the plum cake with a toothpick to confirm doneness. If it needs more time, add to the timer in 5 minute increments.
• Once the toothpick comes out clean, let the loaf pan cool on a wire rack.
• After 30 minutes, slice and serve.

Serving Suggestions

You have a few options for serving this plum cake because it can be for breakfast or as a dessert. You could add some gelato to a warm slice, eat it plain, or even add some salted butter on top of a warm slice. I do this with banana bread and it is a surprisingly delicious combination of salty and sweet.

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