Single Serving Gluten Free Plum Cake (Healthy)

This single serving Gluten Free Plum Cake is the perfect late summer to early fall dessert when you need a little treat, but don't want to bake an entire cake. It's easy to whip up and you get to eat a whole cake! Baked in a ramekin in under 30 minutes, this is the most effortless little cake you'll make all late summer. Completely dairy free, refined sugar free, and allergy friendly.

I picked up a few juicy plums at the farmers market and wasn't sure what to do with them. I didn't have enough to bake a crisp or whole cake, so I thought it would be fun to try and make a single serving plum cake. It came out delicious and is the perfect little treat for one.

Although plum season is about June through September, I find fresh plums peak in August and September and have the most flavor then! So, if you are reading this recipe in early summer, save it so you can bake with ripe fruits when plums come into season. Although some people like tart plums (which happens when they aren't fully ripe yet, or depending on the variety), this cake doesn't have a lot of added sugar so you'll want ripe, juicy plums for flavor.

Why You'll Love This Single Serving Plum Cake

• It's allergy friendly: as per all my recipes, this healthy dessert is completely gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. It's also corn free and nut free!
• Health benefits of plums: not only is this gluten free cake made without any refined sugars, but plums are packed with antioxidants and fiber. You really can have your cake and eat it too!
• It's an easy recipe: this one bowl cake recipe can be whipped up in 5 minutes and bakes in 20, so you can have a delicious sweet treat with minimal clean up in less than 30 minutes!
• Made for one: if you're cooking for yourself, only have one plum, or don't want to bake an entire cake then this is the dessert for you. Of course, you can make 2-3 at a time for your partner or friends.
• No mixer needed:  one bowl, a whisk, and a ramekin. No need to pull out the hand or stand mixer!

Gluten-Free Plum Cake Ingredients

• Butter or coconut oil: regular or dairy free butter will work. I have not tested this cake with olive oil, but I think that would work and provide a very light and tender crumb.
• Coconut sugar: the unrefined sugar used for this plum cake recipe. If you don't have coconut sugar, you can use brown sugar.
• Egg: you'll need 1 large egg, see below for vegan options.
• Milk: I stick to a dairy-free milk, but any milk will work!
• Gluten free flour: be sure to use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour mixture with xanthan gum for best results. See below for paleo options.
• Plum:  you only need one plum per cake. If you've got a lot of plums, bake a few cakes to share! You can try using other stone fruits in this recipe as well, but the plums really taste amazing!
• Baking powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt

How to Make Single Serving Gluten Free Plum Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a single serve ramekin and set aside.
2. Whisk together the butter/oil and coconut sugar in a small-medium bowl.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and whisk until fully combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
5. Pour batter into a greased ramekin.
6. Cut and pit your plum, then press the plum slices, cut side up, into the top of the batter. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top of the cake batter
7. Sprinkle with coconut sugar and bake on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs on it and the top of cake is golden brown.
8. Let the cake cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

Substitutions and Variations

• Fat: (dairy free) butter, coconut oil, or olive oil will work.
• Coconut sugar: you can also use light brown sugar, but the cake will not be refined sugar free.
• Egg: I have not tested a vegan egg substitute, but I think a flax or chia egg would work just fine or even the Bob's Red Mill egg replacer. 
• Plum: other stone fruit will work for this recipe. Small apricots or nectarines would be delicious. Use half a small peach or even a handful of pitted and halved cherries. Heavier fruits are best for this single serve gluten free cake because the batter is quite thick. I wouldn't opt for berries, but slices of pear would be great in the winter!
• Variations: try adding a little bit of lemon zest or orange zest for a deeper flavor profile. 

Serving and Storage

​Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some coconut whipped cream on top!

There shouldn't be leftovers, but if there are, cover the cake with plastic wrap and keep stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can warm briefly in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before eating.

Tips for the Best Single Serve Gluten Free Plum Cake

• Use ripe but not mushy plums: you want plums that give slightly when pressed. Underripe plums are too tart and won't release their juices properly during baking.
• Darker plum varieties have more color and flavor: black and purple plums give the most dramatic color and richest flavor. Red plums work too. Skip yellow varieties for this recipe as the flavor will be quite mild.
• Grease the ramekin well: even if it's a non-stick ramekin, grease it generously so you can easily scoop the cake out.
• Let it cool before eating: the plum juices are extremely hot right out of the oven and the cake needs 5-10 minutes to set before you dive in.
• Sprinkle with extra coconut sugar before baking: don't skip this step! It creates a beautiful caramelized crust on top of the plum.

FAQ

More Summer Gluten Free Cake Recipes

Gluten Free Fig Cake

Gluten Free Strawberry Raspberry Cake

Gluten Free Peach and Strawberry Shortcake

If you try this delicious single serving recipe, please leave a rating and review. Have questions? Leave a comment below!