Plums are at their best throughout summer and autumn, but what to do with a seasonal glut? Cooked into bakes and cakes, plums develop a deep, intense flavour and are right at home with strong spices, like star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and even black pepper. Balance out plum-based desserts with ice cream or custard, or poach them and serve on top of creamy rice pudding. Here are our favourite sweet plum recipes to help you celebrate plum season.
Faiza Hayani Bellili’s Caramelised Plum Upside-Down Cake
Faiza Hayani Bellili’s caramelised plum upside-down cake from Together showcases tart plums alongside dark, smoky caramel and sweet, soft sponge.
Louise Cake with Plum and Coconut
Pillowy meringue sits atop a coconut base and jammy plums in this spectacular Louise cake with plum and coconut from SWEET. Serve at afternoon tea or for dessert.
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Plum and Bay Custard Tart
In this tart recipe from Abel & Cole: How To Eat Brilliantly Every Day, the custard is infused with bay leaves to produce an aromatic and unexpected flavour, which marries perfectly with the sweet and juicy plums.
Plum Cake
You only need a frying pan to make this simple cake e from One Pan. 100 Brilliant Meals. Flavoured with orange, cinnamon and ginger, this is a warming and deeply autumnal cake.
Plum, Blackberry and Bay Friand Bake
This plum, blackberry and bay friand bake from the best-selling cookbook, SIMPLE, is a flavoursome alternative to crumble and also happens to be super straight-forward to make.
Quinoa, Plum and Cardamom Frangipane Pudding
For an easy, throw-it-all-in traybake dessert, try this frangipane pudding with quinoa, plum and cardamom from 26 Grains. Earthy quinoa pairs wonderfully the with sweet plums and the fragrant flavours of cardamom and almond.
Plum Bread in a Hurry
A rich, yeast-based loaf from Bake Me a Cake as Fast as you Can, this plum bread is made with prunes that are soaked in apple juice to revive their plumminess. This is a speedy loaf cake that is best eaten warm with plenty of butter.
Plum Tarte Tatin
Using only five ingredients, Jamie Oliver’s tarte tatin lets seasonal plums sing. Combining plums with cinnamon, maple syrup, puff pastry, vanilla ice cream, this makes for an elegant dinner party dessert. It takes just under 30 minutes to make, and it won’t break the bank either.
Free-from Hazelnut, Plum & Cinnamon Tart (gluten-free)
This hazelnut, plum & cinnamon tart from Genius Gluten-Free Cookbook puts plums centre stage, and is the ideal dessert if you’re avoiding gluten.
Plumble
What better way to celebrate juicy plums than with plumble? This autumnal crumble from Pieminster: A Pie For All Seasons, pairs plums with mulled wine spices, and is served up in individual cups.
Plum and Marzipan Tarte Tatin
Another riff on the classic tarte tatin, this version from Mary Berry combines plums with fragrant marzipan for an easy but visually striking dessert.
