Plum Cake and Orange Sauce — Gâteau aux prunes et sauce à l’orange

plum cake

Plum Cake and Orange Sauce

The 2 Rs: Rustic or Refined, that is the question

I do not know about you but I cannot assert that I am solely a lover of elegant, refined, perfect-looking desserts. They obviously attract the visual that I am, but I cannot help loving rustic looking sweets, which in many ways reminds me of my native France and its cuisine du terroir as we call it (the closest translation I would get to is homey, traditional and local cooking). And my mum’s cooking was definitely more rustic in general.

Take for example, pastries and delicate sweets from Pierre Hermé. Who can really resist the beautiful creations he does? Hmmm, I have one person! My dad! Thinking about it, he does not have a sweet tooth, and even the most refined sweet is nothing compared to a piece of smelly cheese with le croûton de pain (the end = the best of the bread, did you know that?) Pierre Hermé is la crème de la crème of dessert-making. BUT. Not always. While being in Paris for example, I could very much have an inclination for the total opposite in the genre, with pastries and viennoiseries from the old-fashioned bakery Poilâne (Paris 6ème, rue du Cherche Midi). Desserts do not always have to be too pretty to eat!

While growing up, Saturdays and Wednesdays were days when my mum had more time to devote to baking cakes. And her cakes were rustic, such as a chocolate or a marbré (marble) cake. We never admitted this to each other but both my brother and I were waiting for those days to come impatiently. We loved to be there (dans ses jambes as she would say = hanging out to her apron), to smell the fragrance from the cake in the oven, and mainly just adored to lick the dishes that contained the cake preparation. We would fight over that! I was not always the winner, but I fought hard!

Today I don’t have this fight with my brother anymore but probably mainly because we live thousands of miles apart. The little sister has her victory. Victoire! Hourrah! Replacing my mum, I am now the one baking in my own kitchen. Is this what is called being a grown-up? I am pleased to declare that my love for rustic cakes is untouched!

After going to one of my local vegetable suppliers last week, I decided to bake a hybrid between a more solid cake and a fruit tart, to use my lovely plums. Do you remember them?

To combine both in one dish was the best compromise I could get. Plums and cake! And why was it a success? The syrup complements beautifully the fruit and the almond batter. Rustic and Refined at the same time. No choice to make between the two since you get both. L’affaire est dans le sac!
Bon appétit, c’est délicieux!

Plum Cake and Orange Sauce


You need:

For the cake:

  • 4 plums (medium to large)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup almond flour *(see note)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 70 g butter (at room temperature, rather soft)

For the orange sauce:

  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup Cointreau
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Steps:

  • In a pot, pour the orange juice, Cointreau and sugar and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer until the liquid has a syrup-like consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • Preheat your oven at 320 F (160 C).
  • Wash the plums and cut them in halves. Remove the pit.
  • Take a frying pan and place the plums, face down. Sprinkle with sugar and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Mix together the butter and sugar in a food processor.
  • Add the eggs, the almond flour, the flour, lemon zest and baking powder. Do not mix too long.
  • Grease a rectangular mould and place a sheet of parchment paper at the bottom. Grease well and then pour the preparation.
  • In the middle, place the plum halves (do not push them down as the preparation will rise).
  • Cook in the oven for about 30 to 40 mns. Check regularly.

* Note: Almond flour is also commonly called Almond Meal. It comes from whole blanched almonds, after the extraction of almond oil.In cakes and baking, it provides a moist rich nutty touch and taste. It can be found in places such as WholeFoods or any baking suppliers, such as King Arthur.

Adapted from a Donna Hay recipe

Posted in Cakes, Dessert, Fruit

20 comments

  1. Hiya Bea,

    What I love about your recipes is that I get a french lesson and a cooking lesson all in one 🙂

    Formidable !

    This looks great.. will have to try it.

    A bientot
    Matt

  2. Béa,
    I can totally understand your love for rustic looking desserts and old fashioned pastries.
    Your plum cake looks very pretty, yet comforting and delicious!

  3. not so rustic ! je craque de bonheur, heureusement je ne suis pas en reste avec mon petit déjeuner sinon j’aurai pleuré.

  4. Bea,
    I think your refine photographic skill turns everything very elegant!
    The addition orange sauce sounds wonderful! May try out this cake soon 🙂

  5. you kow bea some of the most amzing deeserts and pastries i have eaten in france do not come from famous pastry shops.
    even in small villages or town there is always a small bakery that selss rustic desserts and they always are so divine….

    no plums here yet,,, remember am in the mediterranean i follow the season 😉

    am flying out to nice, cote d azur this coming 28th March.

  6. Beautiful, Bea! And I agree with you completely – give me the rustic, ugly pastry over the too-beautiful-to-eat one anyday. Something just tells me that when looks are such a priority, it’s inevitable that something in the taste department must have been compromised!

  7. I know very well Hermé and Poilane, because, i live near their shop. And i like Poilane bakery, and its rustic sweets … And the flavour ….
    And your cake is beautiful …. Ah, i want to eat it…

  8. Bea, I agree with Sha, because small bake shop makes their own pastries.. “dans la campagne”.
    I love rustic cake with not much creams, preference with fruits.
    This cakes looks so delicious, J’envie de grignoter mon ecrin … ha ha ha!!

  9. I love love love anything with plums! As always this looks so beautiful … merci pour la recette (I hope my French is correct here …)

  10. Thanks all for stopping by!

    Matt, I am glad I can teach some French beside the recipes.The French teacher in me, you know ? 😉

    Bron and Adrienne, Yes rustic is the way to go!! Thanks for your nice note!

    Sophie, yes the syrup sauce adds a very nice touch which I will try with many other desserts now.

    Anne, Ah ben non, je ne veux pas te faire pleurer, surtout pas un lundi matin! 😉

    Gattina, thanks for your sweet note. I love your pics as well, you know. Very attractive food on your blog!

    Kat, thank you faithful you!

    Sha, yeah, great news, travelling now to France, I am jealous. You will have to show me what you see and eat!!

    Melissa,
    I totally agree with you. Nothing beats a nice runny apple pie for example, warm and fragrant. Taste first!

    Fabienne, lucky you to be close to those two. I have to visit you next time I am in Paris!!

    Relly, yes Sha is totally right! I prefer with fruit too! Aren’t we healthy?

    Ivonne,
    ahaah, you make me crack up! and your French est splendide! Bravo!

    Merci Connie 😉

  11. Ces prunes et cette délicate pâte aux amandes : c’est la perfection faite gâteau.
    Merci pour ces bijoux culinaires offerts chaque jour.

  12. That looks delicious, Bea. I love pastries with plum and orange, and this is no exception.

    By the way, did you know that a very upscale store in Toronto sells bread from Poilâne? It’s actually shipped same day so it can be sold fresh. Of course, I think it costs approximately USD$25/loaf, so it’s an expensive luxury.

  13. Bea, I so enjoy your book and have a question about the chocolate and plum almond cake p. 233.
    The butter amount in the ingredient list (ignoring the amount for the mold) is 6 tablespoons. The method asks for 8; 2 for the plums and 6 melted with the chocolate. Can you clarify? Thanks so much. I”m sorry I couldn’t find a better place to ask this question.

  14. Hi knifegirl, thanks for your note. It’s going to be 6 for the cake and 2 for the plums. Thanks for asking! I hope you enjoy the cake.

    Bea

  15. Pingback: Community Post: Plum Amazin’! | Daily Patriot News