Fruity, jammy, with a deliciously buttery and soft crumb, this gluten-free plum & apricot cobbler cake is a summer delight! It's the kind of cake that comes together easily, with simple ingredients, ripe juicy stone fruits, and just a few minutes of prep!
During the summers, I have plums and apricots coming out of my ears. I can’t resist buying them! I love, love seasonal produce. Which means I often end up baking summer fruit tarts and plum apricot crumble, and tossing a peach mozzarella salad.
This gluten-free plum and apricot cake has become a recent favorite. Part cobbler, part cake, this irresistible bake celebrates the abundance of summer fruits! It's a treat perfect for tea time, dessert, or even breakfast. The baked fruits keep it moist and sweet, while a hint of cardamom adds a beautifully fragrant touch!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✨ Part cake. Part cobbler. And 100% the cake you’ll want to bake on repeat. It’s what I call an anytime cake recipe, one you can make in any season, with any fruit, and at any time.
✨ It’s soft, gently spiced, and buttery, with jammy fruit tucked into every bite. And because the fruits are baked, their flavor is deeper and more intense.
✨ It’s a great recipe to use up overripe fruits sitting on your counter. The fruits melt into the cake crumb, making it incredibly moist and giving it a crumbly texture. This recipe works beautifully with any stone fruits: plums, apricots, peaches, or nectarines.
✨ It’s simple, unfussy, and made for afternoon tea, casual get-togethers, holiday tables, picnics, BBQs, and even baby or bridal showers! No matter how you serve it (plain or with coffee ice cream), it’s a winner!
Plum Apricot Cake Ingredients
Flour: I used buckwheat flour and almond meal to keep the plum apricot cobbler cake gluten-free. You can grind almond meal at home in a coffee grinder. It adds a lovely nuttiness, while buckwheat brings an earthy depth. By the way, buckwheat always works gorgeously. Every. Single. Time.
Fruit: Fresh plums and apricots are the stars of this easy cake recipe. Pick ripe, juicy fruits for the best flavor. You can use frozen fruits too.
Sugar: I almost always have raw sugar at home and love to use it because it is less processed. It also gives the apricot and plum cake a richer flavor, almost like molasses. You can also use white sugar, it works perfectly well.
Cardamom: When you bake fruits, they lose their brighter notes a tad. Cardamom powder is a warm, aromatic spice that replaces that brightness.
Eggs to bind everything and give structure.
Coconut oil keeps the cake moist. Feel free to use any neutral oil you like.
Milk: I used homemade almond milk, but any milk works just fine.
Flavoring: Homemade vanilla extract gives the cake a cozy flavor.
Please see the recipe below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Flour: Feel free to swap in all-purpose or whole wheat flour. Both work like a charm in this plum apricot cake.
Fruits: One of the best things about this gluten-free cobbler cake is how flexible it is. Any stone fruit will shine here: cherries, apples, peaches, nectarines, even pears. Use what you have, especially if it's getting a bit too ripe.
Dates: I had a few fresh dates leftover from my plum-apricot sourdough galette, so I tossed them in for extra sweetness.
Nuts: Add sliced pistachios on top before baking for a nice crunch and a pop of color. Optional, but highly recommended!
How To Make Plum Apricot Cobbler Cake
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a round pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a bowl, combine buckwheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, and cardamom powder. Set aside.
Step 3: In another bowl, beat the eggs and raw sugar for 4–5 minutes until pale, thick, and creamy.
Step 4: Slowly whisk in the coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract.
Step 5: Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet.
Step 6: Spoon the batter into your prepared pan. It will be dense, so smooth the top gently.
Step 7: Arrange sliced plums and apricots (cut side down) over the surface. Add dates if using.
Step 8: Sprinkle sugar over the top for a crunchy, caramelized finish. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 9: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.
Final step: Slice and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. The ingredients should be just well combined with no white flour streaks visible.
- Load the top of the cake batter with diced plums and apricots so they create almost jam-like puddles in the cake. Trust me, the smell alone is worth turning on the oven!
- If you are using frozen fruits, thaw and drain them well.
- Want to make a plum apricot cobbler instead of a cake? Spoon the thick cake batter over the layer of fruits, and then bake instead of putting the batter first and the fruits on top.
How To Serve
This plum and apricot cake is delicious warm or at room temperature. Whatever your mood calls for!
In my home, we loved it warm and as-is, with nothing but slivers of pistachio to give the cake some crunch and a pop of green. You can use any nuts you like. Or skip them altogether.
Honestly, it doesn’t need anything else. But if you’re feeling fancy (or just in the mood for something extra), here are a few great pairings:
- A dollop of softly whipped cream
- Thick vanilla custard
- A scoop of creamy vanilla or chocolate almond ice cream
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Substitute eggs with flax eggs, as I did for my eggless chocolate chip cookies. Use 1 tablespoon of flaxmeal mixed with 3 tablespoons of water instead of 1 egg. Double the quantity for 2 eggs.
Absolutely! Just thaw and drain them well before using.
I used a 9-inch cake pan. You can use an 8-inch pan, too. The cake will be higher, and it may take a few extra minutes to bake.
📖 Recipe
Plum & Apricot Cobbler Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond meal You can grind almonds in your coffee grinder
- 1 1/4 cup Buckwheat flour
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1.5 tsp Cardamom powder
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Raw Sugar
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
- 1/3 cup Almond milk You can use any milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 5 Plums, sliced
- 4-5 Apricots, sliced
- 8 Fresh dates, sliced Optional
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- Sliced pistachios for topping Optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease a 9″ pan. Line the bottom of the pan with baking/ parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine buckwheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, and cardamom powder.1 1/4 cup Buckwheat flour, 1 cup Almond meal, 2 tsp Baking Powder, 1.5 tsp Cardamom powder, 1/4 tsp Salt
- Beat the eggs and sugar really well, for about 4-5 minutes, till pale and thick. Slowly add coconut oil and almond milk. Whisk in the vanilla extract.2 Eggs, 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Raw Sugar1/2 cup Coconut Oil, 1/3 cup Almond milk, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Fold in the dry ingredients, taking care not to overmix. Spoon the batter out in the prepared pan. This is a thick batter.
- Scatter the sliced fruits ( cut side down) all over the surface. Sprinkle the extra sugar all over the fruits and bake at 180 C / 350 F for 35-40 minutes, until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.5 Plums, sliced, 4-5 Apricots, sliced, 8 Fresh dates, sliced, 2 tbsp Sugar
- Cool for about 20 minutes before turning it out on a rack to cool.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter. The ingredients should be just well combined with no white flour streaks visible.
- Load the top of the cake batter with diced plums and apricots so they create almost jam-like puddles in the cake. Trust me, the smell alone is worth turning on the oven!
- If you are using frozen fruits, thaw and drain them well.
- Want to make a plum apricot cobbler instead of a cake? Spoon the thick cake batter over the layer of fruits, and then bake instead of putting the batter first and the fruits on top.
Grishma Shah says
Hello, gorgeous looking cake. Difficult to get buckwheat flour. Can you help with sorghum flour , rice flour measurements?
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you Grishma! Ou could try this cake with all-purpose or wholewheat flour. I haven't made it with sorghum or rice flour, I'm not sure about the measurements or even the texture. I think quinoa flour may work well here though. Hope this helps. 🙂
Praveen R says
Brilliant and gluten free, what a wonderful recipe.Keep them coming.
natashaminocha says
Hi Praveen, thank you for your kind words!:)