When summer plums are at their peak, they need very little embellishment. This elegant Plum Hazelnut Cream Cake celebrates their rich sweetness with tender hazelnut cake layers, lightly whipped cream frosting, and a crown of overlapping fresh plum slices finished with a scattering of toasted hazelnuts.
Adapted from a favourite Victoria magazine recipe, this cake strikes a lovely balance between rustic and refined. The whipped cream keeps it light enough for afternoon tea, while the hazelnuts add warmth and richness that pair beautifully with late-summer fruit.
I served it as the finale to an afternoon tea on Gien Mûres faience, alongside warm scones with black currant jam and lemon curd, buttery spinach and pine nut pinwheels, and slices of homemade zucchini bread. It makes a beautiful centrepiece for a garden gathering, bridal shower, or leisurely weekend tea.
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Plum Hazelnut Cream Cake
A lightly frosted hazelnut layer cake topped with fresh plums and toasted hazelnuts, this elegant dessert makes the most of late-summer fruit. It’s one of those cakes that looks wonderfully impressive on the table while remaining fresh, light and perfect for afternoon tea.
- Yield: Makes a two-layer 8” cake. 1x
Ingredients
For the cake
- 227 g or 8 oz unsalted butter, softened
- 300 g or 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 240 g or 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 10 ml or 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 ml or ¼ tsp baking soda
- 240 g or 1 cup buttermilk
- 10 ml or 2 tsp hazelnut liqueur*
For the frosting and garnish
- 65 g or ½ c hazelnuts, finely chopped (plus extra, toasted and chopped for garnish)
- 480 g or 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 50 g or ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 8 small red or purple plums, pitted, in thin slices
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8” round cake pans with baking spray containing flour. Line the pans with parchment rounds and spray the parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
- In a pitcher or medium bowl, combine the buttermilk and hazelnut liqueur.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time; beating well after each addition.
- Add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition. Fold in the finely chopped hazelnuts.
- Divide the batter between the two pans, smoothing the tops with an offset spatula.
- Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean (25 – 30 minutes). Let cool in the pans (10 minutes). Remove from pans, peel off the parchment and let cool completely on racks.
Frost the cake
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream and confectioners’ sugar at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Spread about 1 cup of whipped cream over the first cake layer. Arrange plum slices in concentric circles over the whipped cream. Top with the second layer; spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake.
- Arrange the remaining plum slices on the top of the cake in concentric circles. Sprinkle with the toasted, chopped hazelnuts.
Notes
Adapted from Victoria Magazine.
