If you have been following along here for a while you have probably realized that refined sugar and flour recipes don’t come around Nourished Peach much.  Quite frankly, this could be the very first one I have ever written about.  But just hear me out.

We eat well.  And by we, I mean my family at home and you, my NP family.  We do, we pack our every day diets with color and nutrients and protein and diversity.   Not because we want to see the scale drop or because we are trying to stay hip to new diet trends; because we care for our bodies, we care about the food we eat and because we get pleasure from gorgeous, enjoyable meals.  Food, with NP, is not only about fueling our bodies.  It’s about seriously enjoying the process of preparing the food and the gratification of the finished, delicious product.  And more than anything, to me, it is about sharing that finished product with the people I love most.  It’s about feeding bellies and souls.  Cooking is my favorite way to show love, and enjoying a meal with my friends and family is my favorite way to spend time.   Having all of those wonderful reasons we eat well allows us the ability to avoid diet rollercoasters, deprivation and unhealthful relationships with food.  

And, with all of the above, comes allowing ourselves to indulge.  To let go of guilt and harsh restrictions with food, as long as our bodies can tolerate it, because we don’t go overboard with indulgences.  I love to treat my family to a sweet dessert on occasion.  It may not be  a part of my daily routine, but it is absolutely welcomed in my home in moderation.

I sometimes question if I don’t make desserts often because they just aren’t my favorite.  Most of the time, I’d choose 2nds or 3rds or 10ths of dinner over dessert any day of the week.  Unless it involves fruit.  I adore fruit desserts: crumbles, pies, crisps, shortcakes with fresh berries.  YUM.  So this cake?  I can’t even.  It is hands down my favorite cake recipe for so many reasons…and I just have to share it with you.

Let’s get one thing straight.  I am NOT a baker; way too much science and measuring for me; Im not a fan of cooking by the rules.  So if I am going to bake, I need it to be easy and low-maintenance.  And this cake is both of those.  You just wont believe the ingredient list…take a peek down there…theres just nothing to it!  It’s hands down my favorite go-to when we invite last minute company over.  And could it be more gorgeous?!

But the taste?  Oh my heavens.  The plums are perfectly tart and sweet, almost reminiscent of cherries.  There is just the right amount of sweetness, the lemon adds an amazing touch, the almond extract is a game-changer, and that cinnamon sprinkled right on top?  It’s like a plum cherry pie married a cinnamon roll coffee cake.  Dessert just doesn’t get better for this girl!

You can easily swap out other fruits for the plums; peaches, nectarines, even berries would work beautifully.  But I absolutely tend to be partial to the plums for this one….trust me, one bite and you’ll COMPLETELY understand 😉

Spiced Plum Cake

notes: if you don’t have self rising flour on hand there is no need to make a special trip for it.  It is simple to make your own, here is the ratio:  2 Cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt-mix all together and store in your pantry-I double it so I always have some on hand for this recipe 🙂

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

2/3 Cup + 2 Tablespoons White Sugar, divided

2 Large Eggs

1 Teaspoon Almond Extract

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 1/2 Teaspoons Lemon Zest

1 1/4 Cups Self Rising Flour *see note above

4 Ripe Plums, pitted and sliced

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9 inch spring form pan with butter (can be made in a 9 inch baking dish as well).

In a large bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add 2/3 cup sugar and beat until well incorporated.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time until incorporated.  Add almond extract, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix until well-combined, scraping down the sides as needed.  Beat in the flour until smooth.  Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out with a spatula.  Lay the plums in an even layer covering the batter, pressing them in lightly.  In a small bowl mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture all over the top of the cake.  Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2005