Chocolate plum cake with sticky muscovado crumble recipe

This Avoca favorite is a truly delicious dessert that works equally well with pears or plums and can be baked in a tin.

This chocolate plum cake with sticky muscovado crumble, once cooled, enjoy it as a cake or as a sweet-afters served warm with custard or ice cream. The delicious Muscovado sugar melts into a sticky topping.

Through its cafés, food markets and cookbooks, Avoca has led a revolution in Irish food, championing seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients and showcasing artisan food producers. It's a passion born out of its roots in 1723 when Avoca first started weaving its world-famous throws & blankets - and nurtured still in its stores, homewares and fashion. Find more of the story at avoca.com. Join the Avoca community on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Chocolate plum cake with sticky muscovado crumble recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the cake

- 8 plums, halved, stones discarded

- 4oz unsalted butter

- 9oz plain flour

- 3 tbsp cocoa powder

- 2 level tsp baking powder

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 9oz caster sugar

- 3 eggs (lightly beaten)

- third of a pint of milk

For the crumble

- 6oz dark brown Muscovado sugar

- 2oz flour

- 3oz unsalted butter

Method:

To make the crumble

1. Preheat oven 340ºF.
   
   
2. Line a loose-bottomed 10-inch deep cheesecake tin with baking parchment.
   
   
3. Firstly, put all the dark brown sugar, the flour and the butter in a bowl and rub together to a coarse breadcrumb consistency, (this gets sprinkled over the top of the cake).

To make the cake

1. Sift together the remaining flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
   
   
2. Next, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the caster sugar until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes. 
   
   
3. Then start adding the eggs, mixing well between each addition and half the flour and some of the milk. 
   
   
4. Mix until incorporated then add the remaining flour and milk.
   
   
5. Place the cake batter into the lined tin, smooth the top with a palette knife or spoon and then arrange the halved plums, cut side down in a circle around the edge and center of the tin. 
   
   
6. Finally, sprinkle the delicious Muscovado crumble mixture over the top and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center the of cake is firm to the touch.
   
   
7. While still warm, the cake will have a lovely gooey toffee-like sauce around the plums, which sets slightly as it cools and helps keep the cake moist for 3-4 days.

 To serve

Enjoy warm with some vanilla ice cream or custard or have it cold with some softly whipped cream. And relax.

* Originally published in 2016, updated in July 2023.