How To Make A Plum Cake On The Grill | Tasting Table Recipe

While you're cooking outdoors this summer, save some room on the grates for dessert.

All you need for this gorgeous from-the-grill cake is a cast-iron skillet, some fruit and our super-easy batter.

You can use just about any fruit you like, but we'd suggest stone fruit or berries. If the fruit is a little under-ripe, no worries: We add a little bit of brown sugar to sweeten everything up.

The fruit and batter go in the cast-iron pan, which goes right on the grill and then doubles as a serving dish. With its jewel-toned cooked plums and golden crust, the finished cake is as beautiful as it is effortless.

Note: The cake can be made in the morning and reheated just before serving.

To learn more, read "Love on a Rooftop."

Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen

Cast-Iron Plum Cake
4.4 (33 ratings)
Learn to make a plum cake on your grill. 
Prep Time
20
minutes
Cook Time
30
minutes
Servings
8
to 10 servings
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1½ cups flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup whole Greek yogurt, at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons cold butter
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 6 plums, quartered
Directions
  1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. While whipping on medium-high speed, add the sugar a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
  2. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and stir in the flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, salt and yogurt, being careful not to over-mix.
  3. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for medium-hot grilling. Add the 4 tablespoons of cold butter to a 10½-inch cast iron pan on the grill. When the butter is melted, add the lemon and sugar and cook, stirring until the sugar is melted, about 2 minutes. Add the plums, stir, then pour the cake batter over the top.
  4. Cover the skillet with foil and grill until the cake has set and the fruit begins to bubble, about 30 minutes. Carefully remove from the grill and allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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