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First and foremost, anytime I receive or pick fresh fruit, I always have to enjoy it untouched. There’s no cooking, baking, or alterations required when the best of in-season produce is available.
But do you think I only eat raw fruit? I’m not a heathen! I also have to make all of my favorite fruit-inspired desserts throughout the season. And this plum cornmeal cake is my unsung hero. Crumbles, crisps, and pies are always forefront of my mind when thinking about what to make, especially with those bubbling streusel toppings.
This cake has an amazing texture and flavor, all courtesy of the cornmeal. The result is a perfectly balanced cake, just sweet enough to enjoy as dessert, but savory enough to truly taste the fruit.
What is a cornmeal cake?
At first glance, this cake looks similar to cornbread: a combination of flour, cornmeal, butter, eggs, and buttermilk. The main difference in this recipe is the ratio of all-purpose flour to cornmeal and sugar. This cake has more all-purpose flour than a traditional cornbread, to give a cake-like crumb and a soft texture. The cornmeal cuts through just enough to be noticed while not overpowering.
Unlike many cakes, this is not overly sweet. But it has the right amount of sugar to create a dessert and aid in a soft crumb.
Will this recipe work for any stone fruit?
This recipe is designed for plums. The subtle, corn-like flavor melds perfectly with the soft plums. The deep color of the plums’ skin enhances the appeal of the cake once turned upside down and creates an eye-catching presentation. That said, almost any stone fruit will work. Peaches, nectarines, and apricots will all work. For a second option, I especially enjoy apricots as a swap-out for plums.
No matter what you choose to pair with the cornmeal, I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!
Watch how to make this plum cornmeal cake
Plum Cornmeal Cake
Ingredients
- 4-5 plums cut into ½-inch slices
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly brush butter inside an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment and brush with butter. Lay pieces of sliced plum around the pan covering the bottom. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.4-5 plums, 2 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup cornmeal, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt
- In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Whisk until smooth and add to the dry ingredients.8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup buttermilk
- Whisk until just combined with a few dry streaks remaining and pour over the prepared plums. Smooth to an even layer and bake in preheated oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 40-55 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto serving dish and discard parchment paper. This can be served warm or at room temperature.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Made cake it is easy taste delicious thank you it’s great
Hi Kaleb,
I made your recipe for Plum Cornmeal Cake today and my husband and I loved it!! We even put whipped cream on top. YUM!! THANKS FOR SHARING THE RECIPE!!
I’m not much of a baker but was inspired to make this recipe after having a similar dessert at a restaurant.
However, since it’s late September, I couldn’t find organic plums but I did find organic nectarines.
I reduced the sugar by half because I don’t like super sweet desserts.
I’m shocked at how balanced and flavorful it came out! It is absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to make it again for others to enjoy.
The tip about buttering the pan and then buttering the parchment paper is genius. I was able to easily flip the cake over like a pro. So thrilled with the results!