18 Amazing Plum Dessert Recipes for Every Sweet Craving
These delicious plum dessert recipes showcase the natural sweetness and vibrant flavor of fresh plums. From simple cakes to elegant tarts, there’s something perfect for every occasion.
Each recipe highlights different techniques and flavor combinations that make plums shine in desserts throughout the summer season.
01. Simple Seven-Ingredient Plum Cake
This basic cake uses eggs, butter, sugar, lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and fresh pitted plums. The simple ingredients let the plum flavor really shine through.
The lemon zest adds bright citrus notes that complement the sweet plums perfectly. This method creates a tender, moist cake with beautiful fruit pieces throughout.
Perfect for beginners who want impressive results with minimal ingredients. You can have this ready in under an hour.
02. Austrian Potato Plum Dumplings
This traditional European dessert wraps sugar-stuffed plums in potato dough made with russet potatoes. The dumplings get boiled until tender and fluffy.
After boiling, the dumplings get pan-fried in butter with sweet breadcrumbs. This creates a crispy exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior.
This authentic method takes more time but delivers restaurant-quality results. Great for impressing guests with something truly unique.
03. Holiday Plum Jam Sandwich Cookies
These festive sandwich cookies feature plum preserves between tender cookie layers. You can substitute any jam you have on hand for variety.
The cookie dough bakes up crisp on the outside while staying soft inside. This method works great for holiday cookie exchanges and parties.
Perfect for make-ahead entertaining since they keep well in containers. These cookies actually taste better after sitting overnight.
04. Brown Sugar Hazelnut Streusel Plum Pie
This summer pie combines fresh plums with a crunchy brown sugar and hazelnut streusel topping. The nuts add wonderful texture and flavor depth.
The streusel creates a sweet, crunchy contrast to the tender fruit filling. This version works equally well with apples or cherries instead.
Takes about an hour to bake but the impressive results are worth it. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for best results.
05. Easy Seven-Ingredient Plum Crisp
This simple crisp uses sugar, margarine, eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, mashed bananas, and plums. The bananas add natural sweetness and moisture.
The banana addition creates a unique flavor combination that complements the tart plums. This method produces a cake-like topping rather than traditional crisp.
Perfect for busy summer nights when you want dessert fast. You can throw this together in minutes with pantry staples.
06. Elegant Fresh Fruit Frangipane Tart
This sophisticated tart features sweet almond custard called frangipane topped with fresh plums. The almond flavor pairs beautifully with stone fruits.
Frangipane creates a creamy, rich base that supports the fruit perfectly. This technique produces bakery-quality results that look absolutely stunning.
Takes more skill but creates impressive presentation for special occasions. Guests will think you bought this from a fancy bakery.
07. Warm Cinnamon Plum Clafouti
This French dessert bakes plums in a custard-like batter that puffs up around the fruit. The cinnamon adds warm spice that fills your kitchen with amazing aromas.
The batter creates a texture somewhere between custard and cake. This method produces a rustic, homestyle dessert that’s surprisingly elegant.
Great served warm with ice cream or whipped cream. You can make this in about an hour from start to finish.
08. Food Processor Quick Plum Cake
This streamlined version uses a food processor to speed up mixing time significantly. You can also mix by hand if you prefer traditional methods.
The food processor creates perfectly blended batter in seconds without overmixing. This approach saves time while producing consistently tender results.
Perfect for when you want homemade cake without the fuss. Even beginners can master this foolproof technique easily.
09. Chilled Plum Flummery Mousse
This light mousse makes excellent use of pre-stewed plums for a fluffy, airy dessert. The texture is incredibly smooth and refreshing.
The mousse needs complete chilling before serving to set properly. This method creates an elegant, spoon-able dessert perfect for summer entertaining.
Great for make-ahead dinner parties since it needs time to chill. The light texture makes it perfect after heavy meals.
10. Spiced Oven-Roasted Plums
This simple oven method concentrates the plum flavors while adding warm spices. The roasting brings out natural sweetness and creates tender texture.
The spices caramelize slightly during roasting for deeper flavor complexity. This technique works great as a topping for other desserts too.
Ready in under 30 minutes with minimal prep work required. Serve over ice cream, cake, or yogurt for easy elegance.
11. Colorful Plum Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
This stunning cake combines plums and blueberries for beautiful color and flavor contrast. The upside-down method creates gorgeous presentation when flipped.
The fruit caramelizes on the bottom while the cake bakes on top. This technique produces a glossy, jewel-toned surface that photographs beautifully.
Perfect for summer gatherings where presentation matters. Make sure to take photos before serving because it disappears quickly.
12. Large-Batch Plum Buckle
This 9×13 pan dessert uses seven cups of quartered plums topped with easy batter. The large size makes it perfect for feeding crowds.
The batter sinks down around the fruit while baking for rustic appearance. This method creates cake-like texture with pockets of sweet fruit throughout.
Great for potlucks and family gatherings where you need generous portions. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for best results.
13. Moist Peach and Plum Summer Cake
This fruit-packed cake combines peaches and plums with plain yogurt for extra moisture. The yogurt creates incredibly tender crumb and tangy flavor.
The yogurt addition keeps the cake moist for days while adding subtle tang. This method works great for using up excess summer produce.
Perfect for when you have mixed stone fruits to use up. The combination creates more complex flavor than single fruit versions.
14. Classic Fresh Fruit Cobbler
This traditional cobbler features plums under a biscuit-like topping that bakes up golden and fluffy. The contrast between fruit and topping is perfect.
The biscuit topping creates rustic, homestyle appearance with tender interior. This method produces the classic cobbler texture everyone expects and loves.
Best served warm right from the oven with ice cream or whipped cream. You can assemble this quickly with basic pantry ingredients.
15. Simple Banana Plum Quick Bread
This beautiful bread combines bananas and plums with fewer than ten common ingredients. The fruit combination creates natural sweetness without being overly sweet.
The banana adds moisture while plums provide tartness for balanced flavor. This method produces tender, cake-like texture that slices beautifully.
Great for breakfast or afternoon snack with coffee or tea. The bread keeps well and actually improves after a day.
16. Versatile Honey Ginger Plum Sundae
This healthy recipe works for breakfast with Greek yogurt or dessert with ice cream. The honey and ginger add warmth and natural sweetness.
The ginger provides subtle heat that complements the sweet plums perfectly. This method creates a versatile topping for many different bases.
Ready in minutes and naturally healthy with fresh ingredients. Perfect for when you want something sweet but not too heavy.
17. Family-Favorite Plum Custard Kuchen
This German-style dessert features plums baked in custard on a simple crust base. The custard creates creamy texture that highlights the fruit beautifully.
The custard sets during baking while staying silky and smooth. This traditional method produces elegant results that please all ages.
Great for using abundant plum harvests in something special. Families love this comforting, old-world style dessert for good reason.
18. Traditional German Plum Sheet Cake
Zwetschgendatschi features Italian plums on short crust pastry in classic Bavarian style. The traditional preparation creates authentic German bakery flavors.
The short crust provides sturdy base while staying tender and buttery. This method produces the authentic texture and appearance of German bakeries.
Traditionally served with vanilla sugar whipped cream for complete experience. This impressive dessert showcases European baking techniques beautifully.
Final Thoughts
These plum dessert recipes offer something for every skill level and occasion, from simple weeknight treats to elegant dinner party finales. Each method highlights plums’ natural sweetness and versatility.
Whether you prefer rustic cobblers or sophisticated tarts, these recipes will help you make the most of plum season with delicious results.