Juicy fresh plums, warm cardamom, and a buttery crumble topping come together in these soft, fluffy plum cardamom muffins. They’re easy to make, full of cozy flavors, and a wonderful way to enjoy plum season.
The sweet-tart plums keep every bite moist, while the fragrant cardamom adds a lovely warmth. Finished with a golden crumble topping, these homemade plum muffins are just as good for breakfast as they are with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee.
They come together easily, with simple ingredients, making them perfect for beginner bakers and delicious enough to make again and again!
If you like baking with plums, you’ll love my plum sourdough galette, plum and apple cobbler, and plum and apricot cake!
Jump to:
⭐️ Made this recipe? Please consider leaving a review. Your comments and star ratings help other readers find and trust my recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and fluffy - These cardamom muffins are soft and fluffy with juicy bites of jammy plums throughout.
- Cardamom makes them special - Warm, fragrant cardamom pairs beautifully with sweet-tart plums and gives these muffins a unique flavor.
- Buttery crumble topping - Crunchy, golden streusel adds irresistible texture and gives these homemade plum muffins a bakery-style finish.
- Simple pantry ingredients - Made with everyday baking staples and fresh plums, this recipe is easy enough for any home baker.
- Perfect any time of day - They are delicious for breakfast, special enough for brunch, and of course wonderful with your favorite cuppa. I love also them with a tall glass of Korean banana milk or strawberry milk!
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: I used all-purpose flour, but whole wheat flour or a mix of the two works very well too.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is what I use. But I have made these plum muffins with raw sugar and cane sugar too.
Plums: Choose ripe, firm plums for the best flavor. Slightly overripe plums work well too, making this a great way to use them up.
Oil: I like to use coconut oil in my baking, but feel free to use any neutral oil you prefer.
Milk: Combine milk with vinegar to make a quick homemade buttermilk for the batter. Dairy or unsweetened plant-based milk both work well. You can also use store-bought buttermilk.
Cardamom: I love adding green cardamom powder to my bakes, like in my cardamom pistachio madeleines and cardamom almond cake. It adds a lovely warm, sweet, fragrant, citrusy flavor that pairs beautifully with plums.
Butter: For making the streusel topping.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Plum Cardamom Muffins
Recipe Video
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the streusel: Combine the flour, sugar, cardamom powder, and melted butter with a fork in a small bowl. You should get a crumbly mixture like wet sand. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp vinegar and let it stand for 5 minutes to make homemade buttermilk.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cardamom powder.
Step 4: In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract.
Step 5: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently to combine. Fold in the lightly coated diced plums.
Step 6: Divide the batter evenly in the muffin cups using 2 spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place one or two plum slices on top and press them down gently.
Step 7: Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter. Bake at 220 C / 425 F for 5 minutes, lower the temperature to 190 C / 375 F and continue baking for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or just a few moist crumbs attached.
Step 8: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Top Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Toss the diced plums with a little flour before folding them into the batter to prevent them from sinking.
- For tall, domed muffin tops, bake the muffins at a higher temperature for the first few minutes.
- Make sure the oven is fully preheated and bake the muffins as soon as the batter is ready.
How To Store Fresh Plum Muffins
These homemade plum muffins are best enjoyed the same day. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a toaster oven or microwave.
You can also freeze the muffins for up to 2 months in a freezer-friendly bag. Thaw at room temperature and reheat before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but fresh plums give the best texture. If you're using frozen plums, don’t thaw them. Dice them while frozen and fold them into the batter quickly. You may need to bake for a couple of extra minutes.
Yes, absolutely. The crumble adds a wonderful texture, but the plum muffins will still be soft and delicious without it.
Yes! I have made these plum muffins many times with whole wheat flour and they turn out very well. You can also use a 50:50 mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour.
More Easy Muffin Recipes
Did you try this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out. Please drop a comment below or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love these plum cardamom muffins as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Easy Plum Cardamom Muffins
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
- 3 tbsp Melted butter
Plum Muffins
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar You can also use white vinegar
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Cardamom powder
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/3 cup Coconut oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Plums, diced Plus extra for decoration
- 2 tsp All-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220 C/ 425 F. Line a 12–cup muffin tray with paper liners.
- Make the streusel: Combine flour, sugar, cardamom powder, and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix with a fork or your fingers until you get a crumbly mixture. Set aside.1/2 cup All-purpose flour, 1/4 cup Sugar, 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder, 3 tbsp Melted butter
- Make the buttermilk: Mix milk and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.1 cup Milk, 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cardamom powder.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1/2 cup Sugar, 1 tsp Cardamom powder, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1/4 tsp Salt
- In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk that we just made, oil, and vanilla extract. 1/3 cup Coconut oil, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Toss the diced plums with the flour and fold into the batter.1 cup Plums, diced, 2 tsp All-purpose flour
- Divide the batter evenly in the muffin cups using 2 spoons or an ice cream scoop. Top with sliced plums and sprinkle the streusel on top.
- Bake at 220 C / 425 F for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 190 C / 375 F and continue baking for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix only until the flour disappears for soft, tender muffins.
- Toss the diced plums with a little flour before folding them into the batter to prevent them from sinking.
- For tall, domed muffin tops, bake the muffins at a higher temperature for the first few minutes.
- Make sure the oven is fully preheated and bake the muffins as soon as the batter is ready.
Subhodeep Mukhopadhyay says
Hi Natasha, I have featured your Plum & Cardamom Streusel Muffins post in one of my recent articles.
Cakes Cookies Muffins Recipes
Hope you like it. Do share your feedback.
Thanks, Subhodeep
natashaminocha says
Thank you so much Subhodeep! Feels good to be appreciated.:)
So glad I've discovered your blog,its a treasure trove of knowledge...so well put together and lots to learn.
Warm regards
Alok Singhal says
Great presentation 🙂
natashaminocha says
Thank you! 🙂
natashaminocha says
Thank you so much Alok!