Easy Plum Cake with Meringue Dough (No Baking Powder)
This plum cake with meringue dough is airy, light, and refreshing. Every bite promises a moist and succulent, melt-in-your-mouth experience unlike any other. This recipe stands out as it shuns the use of baking powder or other leavening agents, relying solely on the natural prowess of eggs.
Equipment
- 1 Baking dish (9'x13')
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh pitted plums (I used the red plums variety, but any other varieties work) (approx. 3 cups)
- 8 eggs (cold or room temperature)
- 200 g sugar (I used unrefined caster sugar) (approx. 1 cup)
- 50 ml coconut oil (melted) or any other oil or fat (approx. 1/4 cup)
- 250 g all-purpose flour (approx. 2 cups + 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- lemon zest from one lemon
- a pinch of salt (very important for a successful meringue)
- brown sugar and cinnamon for dusting on top (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks in two separate bowls.
Prepare the meringue:
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer. Use medium-high speed on your mixer.
- When they become frothy, add the sugar. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form. This meringue blend is the heart of what gives the cake its airy texture. Don't stop until the meringue is completely stiff and has a glossy finish.
- Add in the egg yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Blend it in the meringue at medium speed. Stop mixing as soon as the eggs are incorporated. Don't over-mix.
- Melt and cool off completely your coconut oil or butter (IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY COOLED OFF, OTHERWISE, IT WILL RUIN YOUR MERINGUE BATTER).
- Add half of the flour to your meringue batter. And then add the coconut oil. Mix at medium speed just until incorporated. Pour in the rest of the flour. Again, mix at medium speed. Stop mixing as soon as everything is incorporated well.
- Slice the plums into halves. If you've got larger plums, they might need further division.
- Line the bottom of a baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the meringue cake batter into the prepared pan, ensuring an even spread. Place the plum halves on top of the batter. Make sure you speed up this step as the batter starts to deflate if left unbaked for long.
Bake the plum cake:
- Place the cake in the upper third of the oven to ensure even baking. Bake for about 35 minutes. Monitor the baking temperature and let it bake until it's golden brown. The exact time may vary based on oven type and the size of your cake pan.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven. Let it cool on a wire rack. Loosen the sides of the pan and transfer to a plate.
- Slice into squares and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use room temperature or cold eggs. It really doesn't matter.
- Make sure the oil (or fat) you choose to use is completely cold (warm oil will ruin your batter)
- Only stop mixing the meringue when it reaches stiff peaks. If you shake the bowl, the meringue should not move at all. It should cling to the bowl and the mixer attachments and have a glossy smooth finish.
- Overmixing can deflate the airiness you've worked hard to achieve.
- Make sure your oven is properly preheated to ensure an even and proper bake of your cake.
- When layering the plums on top of the cake, drop some of the plums from a height to help them sink in the batter. This way you will have the perfect distribution of fruits throughout your cake, and not just on top.
Nutrition
Serving: 70gCalories: 145kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!