This is an easy recipe for a delicious Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Plum, Orange, and Walnut Cake that doesn't take too long to prepare or bake.
I enjoy having a slice of the spiced plum cake with a cup of coffee, but today I wanted something a bit more fitting for this time of the year, but not overly Christmassy (if that makes any sense).
Ingredients
For the cake:
3 eggs
250g gluten-free flour
100 ml sunflower/vegetable oil
100 ml soy/almond milk
75g sugar
10g baking powder
1tsp vanilla essence
For the plum filling:
500g sliced plums
80g roughly chopped walnuts
60g brown sugar
1 orange zested and juiced
Begin today's baking journey by getting out all the required ingredients and placing them on your working space (table/kitchen counter/whatever you have available). I say this, not to be annoying for no reason, but to make sure that you checked if you have everything, and not just hoped that you 'Still have some walnuts somewhere... in that cupboard...I think I saw a bag the other day...maybe?'.
You can give it a go without the walnuts, but I promise you it's way way better with them in the mixture (unless you're allergic, obviously, case in which, please omit them). Make sure you also prepare a brownie tin, by lining it with baking parchment or greasing it.
Anyway, the ingredients are all out and waiting for your attention so the next step is to warm up the oven. For gas ovens, 5-10 minutes will be enough, while for the electric ones you will need about 10-15 minutes to reach the desired temperature, which in this case is 180C.
How to:
Now for the actual baking: start with the plum filling. Put the plums, walnuts, and brown sugar in a pan on low heat. After a couple of minutes, once the plums start softening, add the orange zest and orange juice and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
While the mixture is cooling, it's time to mix the fluffy cake batter. (Ideally) Sift the flour and mix it with baking powder. Don't have the tools for sifting? Not a problem, just skip this part, but make sure to whisk the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl (for now).
Add the sugar, eggs, milk, and oil into a bowl and mix thoroughly using a whisk or an electric hand mixer. Add the vanilla and then gradually add the flour mixture until you have a smooth, slightly-more-liquid-than-you-expected batter (it's supposed to look like that, don't worry). Pour that into the tin you have prepared earlier and then, using a spoon or spatula, carefully place the plum mixture evenly on top of the batter.
Bake for 30-35 min at 180C/gas4, or until golden on top and once it has passed the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean).
If your diet allows, feel free to bake this cake using flour containing gluten and/or milk instead of soy or almond milk.
You can enjoy the Plum, Orange, and Walnut Cake on its own, accompanied by a cup of tea or coffee, with ice cream or custard, it's all up to you. Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please let me know how it went in the comments below.
I hope life is treating you well.
Take care.