Old Fashioned Prune (Plum) Cake with Caramel Frosting

An old fashioned spice cake made with dried prunes (plums), spices and topped with a homemade caramel frosting. 

Happy Sunday friends, I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Vintage and old fashioned cakes have always been a favorite of mine. Old fashioned desserts and cakes remind me of simpler times, grandma's kitchen and all my favorite desserts I enjoyed as a child. 

I've shared several old fashioned cakes over the years and a few of my favorites are this Applesauce Cake, Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Coconut Icing, Mom's Fresh Apple Cake, Hummingbird Cake, 7 Up Pound Cake,  Vanilla Pound Cake and this vintage Jell-O Ice Box Cake. 

Recently I made this Old Fashioned Prune Cake that I found in an old church cookbook. I've only tasted a prune cake one time in my life, but I remember how tasty it was. I know what you're thinking prunes in a cake! I thought the same thing, but think of a prune cake more along the lines of an old fashioned spice cake speckled with dried plums.

And the frosting, well that was just something that I added. You can't have cake without frosting, so I added a simple boiled caramel frosting that complimented this spiced prune cake perfectly. If you're still a bit reluctant to make this cake don't be! It's soooooo good. Also, this cake is best served warm. If you are not able to serve this cake immediately you can reheat this entire cake in a 200 degree oven for 5 - 10 minutes or until cake is warm.   

These are the ingredients you will need: prunes (diced or whole), eggs, self-rising flour, oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and evaporated milk.  

Preheat the oven to 325 degree. Prepare the prunes by placing them in small glass bowel or measuring cup. Cover with water and microwave for 3 minutes on high. Drain prunes and rinse with cold water. Run the prunes through a mini food processor until they're a smooth paste. 

Mix the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl (eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla and mashed prunes). Mix to combine. Sift the dry ingredients together and then slowly add to the wet mixture, beating well.

Pour the batter into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan that has been sprayed with baking spray and dusted with flour. Spread out the batter evenly. 

Bake for 35 - 45 minutes. Remove cake (test for doneness) from oven and let cool on a baking rack. While the cake is still warm prepare the icing. 

Combine the brown sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a medium size saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes.  

Remove the icing from the heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. If the icing is too thick add some additional evaporated milk a few teaspoons at a time until the desired consistency. 

Pour the caramel icing over the cake while it's still warm and spread evenly. 

Serve cake warm.  

Yield: 16

Author: Tina Butler | Mommy's Kitchen

Old Fashioned Prune Cake with Caramel Frosting

An old fashioned spice cake made with dried prunes (plums), spices and topped with a homemade caramel frosting.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked prune pulp (cooked and mashed prunes)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 - cups sugar
• 2 cups sifted self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• dash of allspice

Caramel Frosting

• 2  cups brown sugar
• 1/2  cup butter
• 2/3  cup evaporated milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare the prunes by placing them in small glass bowel or measuring cup. Cover with water and microwave for 3 minutes on high.
2. Drain Prunes and rinse with cold water. Run the prunes through a mini food processor until they are a smooth paste.
3. Mix the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl (eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla and mashed prunes). Mix to combine.
4. Sift the dry ingredients together and then slowly add to the wet mixture, beating well.
5. Pour the batter into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan that has been sprayed with baking spray and dusted with flour.
6. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 35 - 45 minutes
7. Remove cake from oven (test for doneness) While the cake is still warm prepare the frosting. 
8. To prepare the frosting, combine the brown sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a medium size saucepan.
9. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes.
10. Remove the icing from the heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
11. If the icing is too thick add some additional evaporated milk a few teaspoons at a time until the desired consistency.
12. Immediately pour the hot caramel frosting over cake while it's still warm and spread evenly.
13. This cake is best served warm.

https://www.mommyskitchen.net/2019/03/old-fashioned-prune-plum-cake-with.html

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