California Prune Walnut Cake
By Jyoti Nanra
It’s the perfect dessert for anytime of the day, whether that be midday tea or as a late-night treat. This lightly spiced prune sponge is studded generously with walnut pieces, chopped California Prunes, and toffee bits. It’s baked to golden perfection, and then poked and covered in a warm caramel sauce. The caramel balances out the rich, dark flavour from the prune cake, and the result is just sublime. Let California Prunes be the showstopper for your next dessert – I promise, everyone will be asking you for this recipe.
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce
- 250 g sugar
- 100 g heavy cream
- 80 g butter
- ½ tsp sea salt
California Prune Pureé
- 250 g pitted California Prunes
- Enough hot water to cover
- 1-2 tsp vanilla
California Prune Walnut Cake
- 250 g a/p flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 150 g brown sugar
- 75 g butter, melted
- 60 g canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 150 g sour cream
- 250 g California Prune pureé
- 110 g walnuts, chopped
- 120 g prunes, chopped
- 50 g toffee bits
Directions
Caramel Sauce
- Add the sugar to a saucepan and place over medium/high heat.
- When the sugar begins to caramelize, stir and continue to melt until a smooth caramel forms.
- When the caramel is amber in colour, whisk in the butter and then add in the heavy cream.
- Let it bubble for one minute.
- Remove from heat, add the salt, and whisk together one final time.
California Prune Pureé
- In a bowl, combine California Prunes, hot water, and vanilla. Cover with a dish and let stand for 25-30 minutes.
- When the prunes have softened, run the entire mixture through a blender until a pureé forms. Keep the pureé as chunky or as smooth as you like.
- Measure out 250 g and set aside.
California Prune Walnut Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 F and butter six 4” tins. Line the bottom of each tin with a parchment round. Set on a baking sheet.
- In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, oil, eggs, sour cream, California Prune pureé, and brown sugar.
- Pour the wet mix into the dry and whisk until a smooth batter forms. It will be thick.
- Fold in walnuts, chopped prunes, and toffee bits.
- Scoop the batter into pans until they’re ¾ of the way full.
- Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes slightly, poke a few holes and pour the warm caramel sauce over the cake.
- Serve warm with or without ice cream.
