slicing gregory gourdet's ginger cake with prune and maple glaze

Gregory Gourdet’s Maple Glazed Prune + Ginger Cake

Name: Maple-Glazed Prune Ginger Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil; 1 lb Prunes quartered; 1 TBSP roughly chopped fresh rosemary leaves (plus some small leaves for garnish); 1/2 cup maple syrup; 8 large eggs (yolks and whites separated); 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil; 3 cups favorite GF cake flour blend; 1 cup honey; 2 TBSP finely chopped ginger; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp cream of tartar; 3/4 cup plus 2 TBSP coconut milk; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt

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This Maple Glazed Prune + Ginger Cake, is not your grandmother’s prune cake, (unless your grandmother was a culinary rebel). The creation of award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet, it showcases a sophisticated blend of flavors and textures, marrying the unexpected with the traditional in a way that is both bold and comforting. This ginger cake is a unique blend of sweet and savory. It also has a texture that promises to make you forget everything you thought you knew about gluten-free baking.

a slice of gregory gourdet's ginger cake with prune and maple glaze

Here’s what you’ll need to make this ginger cake

ingredients for gregory gourdet's ginger cake with prune and maple glaze

Eggs
Coconut oil
Gluten free flour blend
Honey
Chopped fresh ginger
Vanilla extract
Baking essentials (baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar)
Prunes
Fresh rosemary
Maple Syrup
Coconut milk
Flaky sea salt

Trust us, you’ll want to put the topping on everything!

We are completely obsessed with the topping that could stand alone as a dessert. California prunes are luxuriously coated in maple syrup with a hint of freshly chopped rosemary. This layer not only adds a depth of flavor and complexity, but brings this cake right over the top in terms of decadence.

gregory gourdet's ginger cake with prune and maple glaze

Beneath this luscious topping lies the heart of the cake: a rich, moist batter infused with the warmth of finely chopped ginger and the natural sweetness of honey. The use of separated eggs, whipped to perfection, ensures a lightness and airiness in the cake’s structure and a tender crumb that defies the typical expectations of gluten-free desserts.

a slice of gregory gourdet's ginger cake with prune and maple glaze on a white plate

The final touch, a maple glaze enriched with coconut milk, cascades over the cake, creating a glossy finish that is both beautiful and delicious. The “cheffy” addition of flaky sea salt helps cut the sweetness, creating a balance of flavors that elevates the cake to a level of unmatched sophistication.

This Maple-Glazed Prune Ginger Cake is sure to impress. Perfect for special occasions or as a luxurious treat, it’s a conversation starter, a centerpiece, and maybe, just maybe, a new tradition.

Chef Gregory loves California Prunes in savory recipes too. Check out his cauliflower recipe!

gregory gourdet's cauliflower recipe plated on a white platter

Cauliflower Recipe with Prunes, Sun Dried Tomatoes + Chili

This delicious cauliflower creation is loaded with bold flavors, offering a delightful mix of sweet and savory notes. It’s a fun and delicious recipe that turns your everyday cauliflower into something really special.

Get the cauliflower recipe>>>

Did you make this Ginger Cake recipe? Be sure to post a picture on Instagram and tag us using the hashtag #CAPrunes!

Maple-Glazed Prune Ginger Cake

Gregory Gourdet

This Maple-Glazed Prune Ginger Cake is sure to impress. Perfect for special occasions or as a luxurious treat, it's a conversation starter, a centerpiece, and maybe, just maybe, a new tradition.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 388 kcal

Equipment

11-inch (28cm) heavy skillet
electric hand mixer

Ingredients

For the Prune Topping

1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1 lb Prunes quartered
1 TBSP roughly chopped fresh rosemary leaves plus some small leaves for garnish
1/2 cup maple syrup

For the Cake Batter

8 large eggs yolks and whites separated
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
3 cups favorite GF cake flour blend
1 cup honey
2 TBSP finely chopped ginger
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cream of tartar

For the Maple Glaze

3/4 cup plus 2 TBSP coconut milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp flaky sea salt

Instructions

MAKE THE PRUNE TOPPING

Warm the coconut oil over medium heat in an 11-inch (28cm) heavy skillet (I like cast iron here). Add the prunes and rosemary and give everything a quick stir. Cook until the prunes start to soften, and the rosemary smells fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the maple syrup and simmer gently until it reduces by half and the prunes are soft but still hold their shape, 2 to 3 minutes. You will notice the bubbles get smaller and turn golden. Be careful not to reduce the syrup too much—this will become the cake topping, so you want a thin layer of sauce covering the entire bottom of the pan. Keep warm while you make the cake batter.

MAKE THE CAKE BATTER AND BAKE

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180C) and move an oven rack to the center position. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, coconut oil, flour blend, honey, ginger, vanilla, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisk to combine.
In a separate large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment), whip the egg whites with an electric hand mixer on medium speed or whisk by hand with some elbow grease until frothy, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the cream of tartar and whip on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes more.
One third at a time, fold the egg whites into the flour mixture with a flexible spatula (fold gently so you maintain the air you whipped into them), making sure the batter is a single uniform color with no streaks of white before the next addition.
Pour and scrape the prepared cake batter into the skillet with the topping, spreading it evenly over the prune mixture. Bake on the center rack until the cake registers 200°F (95C) in the center, about 30 minutes.

MAKE THE MAPLE GLAZE AND SERVE

While the cake bakes, bring the coconut milk to a lively simmer in a small saucepan over high heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the coconut milk thickens to a creamy, saucy consistency (it’ll just barely coat a spoon), about 8 minutes. Whisk in the maple syrup and salt and keep simmering, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to about 1/3 cup (it’ll have the consistency of melted ice cream), about 5 minutes more. The glaze thickens as it cools, so be careful not to let it thicken too much. Turn off the heat and keep warm until the cake is ready.
Once the cake is ready, run a knife around the edges to make sure it releases from the pan.
Grab a large plate or lightweight cutting board that’s slightly larger than the pan and invert the plate onto the pan. Protecting your hands from the hot pan with oven mitts or a kitchen towel, firmly grab the sides of both the pan and plate and swiftly invert the pan onto the plate or board.
Let the pan rest on top while cake sits on the counter for a few seconds, then carefully remove the pan, slowly lifting from one side, then the other, to expose the cake. If any prunes have stuck to the pan, dislodge them and use them to cover any of the cake’s bald spots. Drizzle the warm maple caramel to glaze the cake, garnish with the small rosemary leaves, and serve.
The cake is best warm from the oven, but keeps for up to 5 days, covered, at room temperature. It reheats well and the slices toast nicely, too.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 198mgPotassium: 338mgFiber: 4gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 340IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 2mg

Keyword ginger cake, gluten free cake, maple glaze, prune cake

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Chef Gregory Gourdet

Gregory Gourdet, chef and mastermind behind Kann and Sousòl, is rocking Portland’s food scene. With big wins like the 2022 James Beard Award for his cookbook “Everyone’s Table” and 2023’s Best New Restaurant for Kann, he’s a culinary star. From his early days in Queens, NY, to making a mark at Jean-Georges’ spots and Departure Restaurant, Gourdet’s now spicing up the game with Kann’s Haitian flavors and Sousòl’s Caribbean vibes. A favorite on Bravo’s Top Chef and a champion of healthy, global dishes, he’s also been named Chef of the Year and is a voice for sustainability and equality in the food world. From cooking prodigy to influential chef, Gourdet’s all about food that feeds the soul and brings us together.

Photo credit – Eva Kosmas-Flores

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