Spongey Almond Cake with Prune-Orange Gastrique and Chantilly
Chef Dustin Valette’s warm plum almond cake evokes his childhood memories of strolling through an orchard in Healdsburg, eating summer plums. Our take on this spongey, comforting recipe utilizes California Prunes to offer similar flavors year-round–the rich flavors of the prunes balance the citrus and slight tanginess in the crème frâiche. It’s best enjoyed warm, so make a plan to share with friends!
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups California Prunes sliced in half
- 3 TBSP sugar divided
- 4 oz unsalted butter at room temp
- 4 oz powdered sugar
- 4 oz almond paste
- ½ orange zested
- ½ vanilla bean scraped, seeds only
- 3 eggs
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- Pinch kosher salt
For the gastrique
- ½ cup California Prunes about 12, finely chopped
- ½ orange zested
- 1 orange juiced (about ½ a cup)
- 1 TBSP sugar
- ¼ vanilla bean
- 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
For the Chantilly cream
- ⅔ cup crème frâiche
- 1 TBSP powdered sugar
- ¼ vanilla bean scraped, seeds only
- orange zest for garnish
- sliced almonds for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the halved prunes in 2 TBSP sugar. Set aside.
- Combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, almond paste, orange zest, dash of salt, and vanilla bean seeds in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing an additional 2 minutes. Remove the bowl, sift in the flour, and gently fold the batter with a spatula just until incorporated–be careful to not overmix.
- Preheat the oven to 325° F (165 C). Line the bottom of a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, then grease with butter or baking spray. Shingle the sugared prune halves, cut side facing up, along the bottom, overlapping just slightly. Pour over the batter, gently spreading in an even layer to cover the prunes. Sprinkle over the remaining 1 TBSP sugar and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Keep warm while preparing the gastrique and Chantilly.
- For the gastrique: Combine the chopped prunes, orange zest and juice, sugar, and vanilla bean in a small pot over medium heat. Cook about 10 minutes, until the prunes soften and the liquid reduces to a syrup. Remove from the heat, remove the vanilla bean, and stir in the lemon juice. Adjust with sugar if needed–the mixture should be slightly sweet and bright from the citrus.
- For the Chantilly: Combine the crème frâiche, powdered sugar and vanilla bean seeds in a chilled bowl, and whisk to soft peaks. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To serve: Flip the cake upside-down onto a cutting board and remove the parchment paper. Slice and plate the cake, keeping the prunes facing up. Drizzle the prune-orange gastrique over each slice, top with a large scoop of vanilla Chantilly, and garnish with orange zest!
Notes
If you'd like to skip the gastrique and Chantilly cream, the cake is fabulous with whipped cream, ice cream or sweetened mascarpone.
Nutrition
Calories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 22mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 4gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 754IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 1mg