36 Lady Prune Cake
36 Lady Prune Cake is a Vasey family favorite, and we have a feeling your family will love this recipe, too!
In the early 1960s, the California Prune Advisory Board (hey, that’s us…in a past life) sponsored a recipe contest. One recipe was unanimously favored by the judges, but there was just one problem – 36 different women had entered the exact same recipe prune bundt cake. From then on, the cake was famously known as 36 Lady Prune Cake. The true origin of this recipe remains a mystery, but it’s a local favorite to this day.
Baking with Prunes
You probably know that prunes are great for gut health. But did you know that they can add moisture and depth of flavor to your favorite baked goods? And that’s not all…with the addition of prune purée, bakers can reduce refined sugar by up to one-third, as well as reducing the amount of needed eggs and fats. Whether you are trying to reduce refined sugar, cut unhealthy fats, or simply make healthier baked goods, California Prunes and Prune Purée are ingredients more and more bakers are relying on to enhance their cakes, cookies, muffins, and more.
36 Lady Prune Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup oil
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. allspice
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup chopped nuts walnuts, almonds or pecans
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup diced California Prunes
For the Glaze
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 stick margarine
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp. white Karo syrup
Instructions
For the Cake
- Combine oil, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, nutmeg, buttermilk, flour, nuts, salt, baking soda, and prunes.
For the Glaze
- Mix sugar, baking soda, margarine, buttermilk and syrup in saucepan and cook until margarine melts and the mixture boils and changes color to a darkish brown and forms a very soft ball. When cake comes out of the oven, turn out on a plate, prick with a fork and pour glaze over the warm cake.
- Pour into an oiled and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350F (180C) for 45 minutes.
- Dust with toasted sliced almonds if you wish. You can also use a fresh, homemade whipped cream frosting rather than a glaze – a Vasey family favorite!
Notes
Nutrition
More Heritage Recipes from our Growers!
Old Fashioned Morning Muffins
Prune grower Ranvir Singh has fond memories of his grandmother’s top secret prune + bran muffins. These Old Fashioned Morning Muffins are our take on the Singh family’s recipe.
Chewy Oatmeal Cookie with Chocolate Chips + Prunes
Our Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are inspired by one of our growers, Matt Bozzo. Matt’s recipe swaps the prune puree for chopped prunes, and opts for dark honey to impart an even richer flavor to these craveworthy cookies.
Prune, Nut Butter and Honey Sandwich
These simple sandwiches are a Thompson family favorite! Grey Thompson represents California Prune growers through the Prune Bargaining Association. His daughter, Clare, developed this quick and delicious recipe.
Learn more about baking with prunes!
Check out Our Top Tricks to Healthier Baking from our friends at California Grown! Wondering what to bake first? Try some of our favorite Old-Fashioned Recipes for Desserts!
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