Plum Almond Crumb Cake (Gluten-Free)
This gluten-free plum crumb cake combines a soft, buttery almond cake with juicy fresh plums and a crisp, golden streusel topping. As they bake, the plums become tender and jammy, adding bursts of fruity sweetness that pair beautifully with the almond-flavored cake. It’s a simple, deeply satisfying snacking cake that’s hard to resist.
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 6 medium plums, sliced
- ½ cup chopped almonds
For the crumble:
- ⅓ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28g), cold and diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- For the crumble: Rub the flour, brown sugar, and cold diced butter together with your fingertips until coarse crumbs form. Chill the streusel in the freezer while you prepare the cake. This helps the crumbs stay crisp and defined as the cake bakes.
- For the cake: whisk together gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar on high speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until pale and smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and buttercream, and beat on medium speed until integrated. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point; this is normal.
- Add the dry ingredients and keep beating on low speed until combined. Don’tovermix, just until combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth it out with a spatula. Arrange the plum slices over the batter, cut-side up, slightly overlapping if necessary, and sprinkle with the streusel and chopped almonds.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep in mind that all ovens are different.
- Let the cake cool in the pan and lift the parchment paper.
Notes
Storing: Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can I freeze this fresh plum dessert? Yes, you can freeze the cake in an airtight container or freezer bag. Reheat the cake in a medium oven when ready to enjoy.
Baking Pan: Replace the 8-inch square pan with a 9-inch round baking pan. Start checking for doneness a few minutes later than the recipe suggests.