They can be sweet or tart, depending on when and where you get them. To check if they’re ripe, hold one in your hand and gently squeeze. It should be heavy, but not soft. You’ll want just a little give; too much means it’s over-ripe. The good news is, you can take over-ripe plums and use all that incredible flavor in a simple jam or cake. Whether you choose red or golden, you’ll get one beautiful dish. Like peaches, you’ll see these beauties in season throughout the summer. So, head to your local market and stock up! You’ll want to try each of these 20 plum desserts ASAP!
1. Late Summer Plum Cake
This cake is wonderfully simple. The sponge is light, buttery, and gently spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. The plums need to be sliced and gently nestled on top of the batter. As the cake bakes, they’ll sink a little, but you should still see the color popping out of the top. When cooled, you’ll see that the fruit has softened and turned jam-like inside the sponge, making it bright and sweet throughout.
2. Easy Plum Cobbler Recipe
It’s funny that peaches get all the love in baking. Sure, they’re bright and beautiful, but plums have a much deeper color that I think is so satisfying in a dessert. This fantastic cobbler looks a lot like a mixed berry dish, with the reds and purples bubbling up around the edges. But instead of small berries, you’ll get big chunks of delectable plum.
3. Tiny Tim’s Plum Pudding
Plum pudding is a traditional English Christmas treat. It’s loaded with dried fruits, spices, and often some kind of alcohol (brandy or sherry is pretty standard). What sets these puddings (cakes) apart from the norm is that they get steamed rather than baked. You can do this in the oven with a water bath or on the stove. It might take as long as two hours! But it’s worth it when you turn that pud out and see all the gorgeous chunks of fruit and smell that distinctly Christmas spice.
4. Roasted Plum Ice Cream
Top tip: roasted twice as many plums as this recipe calls for. Once you pull them out of the oven and smell that unbelievable sweetens, you’ll want to dive right in. I like to serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a slice of pound cake, or over a batch of warm biscuits. Back to the recipe… Roasting your plums will enhance their flavor make this ice cream is so deep and rich. And the color is all-natural and totally Instagram-worthy.
5. Nectarine, Plum, and Raspberry Pie
This pie might just be one of my faves. It’s so pretty, and the mix of raspberries, plums, and nectarines is just chef’s kiss. Nectarines have a much sweeter flavor than, say, peaches, which works perfectly alongside the raspberries – though sweet, they can be pretty tart! Try to cut your plums and nectarines the same size; that way, you get a similar texture with each. The raspberries should cook down to make a jam-like sauce that coats every bite.
6. Plum Compote Dessert Sauce
As much as I love a good chocolate or caramel sauce, during the summer, I tend to gravitate toward simple fruit compotes instead. They work with everything from ice cream to chocolate cake and are super simple to throw together and store in the fridge. Since a compote is thinner than a jam or jelly, you’ll need to add water to the pot with the fruit and sugar. Let it cook until the fruit is soft, then just blitz it down until smooth.
7. Cherry and Plum Bruschetta
We’ve all tried garlicky bruschetta with tomato and olive oil, right? It’s salty, toasty, and super delicious. But have you tried a sweet, cherry, and plum bruschetta before? I promise, it will blow your mind. This recipe uses lightly sweetened ricotta as a base, making it almost cheesecake-like. Feel free to use mascarpone or cream cheese instead! The key to getting the most out of the fruit is to let it all macerate with the sugar and sit in a bowl for 10-15 minutes.
8. Plum Tart
The first time I saw the picture of this tart, I thought it was a roasted beet galette. That’s how vibrant plums can be when cooked! This is the perfect little dessert for two, with the ingredients measured for something smaller than your average tart. Of course, you can make this as large as you need. The dry almond filling not only adds a mild nutty flavor but will help to soak up the juices of the plums and keeps your tart from getting a soggy bottom.
9. Chocolate Plum Cake
Chocolate-plum is similar to the classic chocolate-cherry combo. But dare I say, this is better? Rather than having chunks of fruit in the cake, this recipe calls for pureed plums to be added to the batter. I highly recommend adding some of those roasted plums to give the flavor an upgrade. An excellent way to decorate this is to spread some whipped cream over the top and pile it high with roasted plums, letting the juices drip down the sides.
10. Triple Berry Plum Pie
What could be more appealing than raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and plums inside a buttery, flaky pie shell? They’re all so juicy and provide unique flavors. Be sure to use a combination of cornstarch and tapioca to keep the filling thick but not cloudy (as you might see when using just cornstarch). Though you don’t have to do the lattice top, I really recommend it! You want to show off all that stunning, natural color.
11. Easy Plum Clafoutis
This French dish is like a cross between a flan and a crepe. The custard batter includes flour, making it a touch more cake-like than flan, and it is quite dense. Typically, this dish is made with dark cherries, but you can easily switch it up depending on what’s in season. If you like your fruit to soften, cut the plums into small chunks. If you want more of a bite, using plum halves not only looks great but ensures some lovely texture.
12. Plum Cake with Streusel
Being a baker, I have a deep love for fruit cakes with streusel tops. They’re light, delicious, and you can use any kind of fruit you might have on hand. Plus, the streusel top means you won’t have to worry about the finish – it’s baked right in! Since you’ll be covering the top with a crumb mix, you don’t have to worry about laying the fruit out all pretty. Chopped pieces will taste exactly the same and will cut your prep in half!
13. Fresh Plum Kuchen
This cake, on the other hand, can use the extra prep. Since you’ll see the plums on top, making a pretty pattern will be a hit if you have the time. This cake is usually a little thinner than most, so I like to cut my fruit slices relatively slim and layer them into a spiral. With all that fruit juice, you won’t need anything but a fork, and it’s best served warm.
14. Polenta Plum Upside-Down Cake
I don’t know what I love more about this recipe: the orange zest, cardamom, and vanilla flavors in the sponge, the gorgeous plums on top, or the unique texture you get from using cornmeal in the batter. If you’re worried that the cornmeal will make this cake dry, don’t be. It also has butter and oil inside, making it rich and wonderfully moist. I like to cut the plums quite thick; that way, they can soften and infuse into the sponge as it all cooks.
15. Plum Turnovers
Some mornings, I just get that sweet craving. Normally, I turn to my tried-and-true apple turnovers – frozen puff pastry and sliced apples – but the choices are endless during the summer. I like to use puff pastry because I prefer the flaky texture, but you can make your own shortcrust or use store-bought pie dough. If you use ripe plums, all you’ll need to do is cut them and bake. There’s no need to pre-cook anything here.
16. How to Make Plum Fruit Leather
Even as an adult, I still love fruit leather. The texture and the fruity flavors are to die for, and when you make them at home, they’re practically healthy! Did you know it’s as easy as blending your cooked fruit with some sugar and then baking it low and slow until it dries? Yes, really. Trust me; once you see how delicious and fast this is, you’ll make all kinds of different flavors!
17. Easy Mini-Plum Tarts
Just like mini-donuts and mini-cupcakes, mini-tarts are adorable and impossible to resist. I especially love this recipe because of how easy it is. Rather than making pastry, rolling, cutting, and getting it into mini-molds, you’ll just need a sheet of puff pastry and some cookie cutters.
18. Plum Dumplings (Galuste cu Prune)
This is one that was new to me: sweet plums wrapped in potato dough (like gnocchi) and dredged in a sweet and buttery breadcrumb mix? Needless to say, I was skeptical. But it works! There are many potato-based desserts out there, proving once and for all that it’s the best of the best.
19. Roasted Plums With Greek Yogurt
I know I said I like my roasted plums with ice cream, cake, or biscuits, but you can also have them for breakfast! Serve them warm with a drizzle of honey, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and either some granola or chopped nuts for a bit of crunch.
20. Lemon Plum Sorbet
Sorbet is a great vegan-friendly option for a summer dessert. You can make it with any number of fruits and don’t need special equipment. You won’t be surprised to hear that the citrus in this enhances the plum perfectly. Just don’t forget to stir the mix before it freezes all the way. Click on a star to rate it!
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