DAIRY-FREE PLUM CARDOMOM CRUMBLE CAKE: dairy-free spelt flour with option for regular ingredients

At this time of year, plums are one of 67's favourite cake toppings.

Juicy colourful purple plums buried in nutty crumble on a tender sponge

Sadly, ripen-at-home punnets are no longer as budget-friendly as they have been over recent years but they are still cheaper than standard plums and represent good value.

A 400g punnet of purple plums from M&S costs £1.90 (2024)(compared to £2.50+) but contains enough shiny fat specimens for two 18 cm/7inch cakes. 

This Plum Crumble recipe, dairy-free and made with organic spelt flour, produces a moist cake with a tender crumb.  If budget is your concern, conventional wheat flour and butter will save a few pennies.  

The recipe is not difficult to follow but preparing as much as you can before starting mixing makes life easier.

Cost: £5'ish for organic spelt flour, less for wheat (9/25)

Makes: 1 x 7 inch/18 cm cake; 6-8 servings

Ingred:

Cake: 

          142g/5oz plant butter, measured when solid but softened  (67 prefers Tomor brand, from Kosher outlets and online)        

          142 gm/5oz sugar

          3 large eggs at room temperature  

         150g/5.2 oz white spelt flour + 46g/1.6oz wholemeal spelt 
                      OR 196.5g/7oz plain white spelt flour.
          1 tsp bkg pwder
          pinch salt

         1 tsp vanilla   

 Topping: 

   6 small plums

   1 tbsp cognac or grape juice

   100g/3.5 oz soft brown sugar
   1 generous tbsp cardomum 

   seeds from 3 cardamom pods (opt)

   1/3 cup chopped nuts  

          

Method:

Cake: