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Home » All Recipes » Spiced Prune Coffee Cake

Spiced Prune Coffee Cake

December 12, 2022 By beckysue

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Spiced Prune Coffee Cake by Baking The Goods
Spiced Prune Coffee Cake by Baking The Goods.

Alright, everybody calm down and ask yourself, when was the last time you actually ate a prune? I bet there is a good chance you can’t remember. Maybe you’ve never even tried them. Let’s set aside all of the negative connotations that might initially come to mind when you think of prunes, and let’s focus on the delicious joy that is Spiced Prune Coffee Cake instead.

You like plums, right? Prunes are just dried plums!

I too snubbed prunes for years. Recently, when my friends in food, California Grown sent me some snacking bags of California Prunes, I added them to a gorgeous cheese board spread and found myself loading my plate with prunes! They paired so perfectly with the creamy goat cheese and nutty aged Manchego.

This opportunity to partner with California Prunes got me thinking up all kinds of prune inspired recipes. Leading to a whole new world of plump prunes making an appearance in my kitchen, and eventually, this warm and comforting Spiced Prune Coffee Cake.

California grown prunes are naturally nutritious and surprisingly versatile.

Prunes can be eaten straight from the bag as a naturally sweet and healthy snack, but there is so much more you can do. They can go savory like these Prosciutto Wrapped Prunes from G-Free Foodie, or you can blend them into a prune puree and bake them into recipes like this Spiced Prune Coffee Cake. Prunes do it all!

Prune Puree Filling

Prunes aka dried plums
Prunes are just dried plums. They work well in all kinds of recipes!
Blending prunes into a puree
One interesting way to incorporate prunes into recipes is to blend them into a puree. This version blends prunes with apple cider and spices.
Spiced Prune Puree
Spiced Prune Puree can be used in all kinds of recipes. In this Spiced Prune Coffee Cake it serves as the filling.
California is an ideal habitat for growing prunes, with its lush valleys and nutrient rich soils fed by ancient rivers and endless sunshine.

If I come back in another life, I want to come back as a California Prune. With all of that goodness going into growing prunes, you better believe there are benefits to enjoying this healthy dried fruit. Aside from the well-known fiber-associated side of prunes, there are many more reasons to consider incorporating them into your diet and your baking.

Prunes are packed with health benefits.

  • Good for the gut – Soluble and insoluble fiber in prunes help maintain good digestive health.
  • Ample antioxidants – Polyphenols in prunes act as antioxidants.
  • Sugar low – Prunes are low on the glycemic index and contain no added sugar, so they are a great natural sweetener!
  • Bones about it – Boron, potassium, and Vitamin K in prunes help support bone health!

I’m not trying to tell you that this Spiced Prune Coffee Cake is healthy by any means. However, it incorporates prunes in a way that feels decandant while still bringing the benefits of the dried fruit. The prunes get pulverized into a puree along with apple cider and spices. This becomes the filling that wraps through the center of the prune cake in a ribbon of spiced, jammy flavor.

This Spiced Prune Coffee Cake has 4 simple components that each play a role in the overall goodness.

  • Spiced Prune Puree – The prune filling is made with a simple mix of prunes pureed with spiced apple cider, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. This easy puree filling gives the Spiced Prune Coffee Cake an elegant ribbon of spiced warmth that winds its way through the middle of the cake.
  • Cake Layers – 2 layers of tangy and tender sour cream and spiced apple cider-infused cake surround the filling in a warm hug, giving the prune puree a cozy snug of support.
  • Crumble Top – Texture always makes things more interesting, so this coffee cake is topped with an extra crumbly layer of crunchy crumble. It’s made with chopped walnuts and loads of warm spice for ultimate comfort control.
  • Icing on the Cake – For a fancy finish, the Spiced Prune Coffee Cake is drizzled with a soft and simple icing that blends the spiced apple cider with powdered sugar.

Crumble Topping

ingredients for coffee cake crumble topping
The crumble top to this Spiced Prune Coffee Cake combines cold butter, flour, brown sugar, spices, a pinch of salt and chopped walnuts.
squishing coffee cake crumble topping
Squish the cold butter between your fingers until pea and BB sized granules form.
coffee cake crumble topping
Toss in the chopped walnuts and store the crumble topping in the freezer until you’re ready to top the cake.

Coffee cake has layers, that’s who it is! I know it seems like a lot of components, but I promise you, this Spiced Prune Coffee Cake recipe is easy. You only need a blender or food processor to whip up the Prune Puree Filling. The cake, crumble and icing all mix up quickly in mixing bowls. It’s a great big, simple, warm and comforting cake that just begs to be baked for the holidays.

Coffee Cake Batter

Coffee Cake ingredients
The Coffee Cake gets its tender texture from the sour cream and spiced apple cider.
Mixing Coffee Cake
The cake batter mixes up by hand in a single mixing bow. Just add the wet ingredients to the dry.
Folding sour cream into Coffee Cake
Finally, the the sour cream is gently folded into the mixture, providing airy tenderness to the cake.

Lining the cake pan

parchment paper lined cake pan
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper so it’s easy to remove from the pan.
Spiced Prune Coffee Cake components
3 distinct components give this coffee cake it’s personality. The cake layers, prune puree filling and the crumble top.

There is a fig newton/cinnamon roll quality that happens in this Spiced Prune Coffee Cake. The combo of the tender, slightly tangy cake combined with the jammy spiced warmth of the prune filling plays so well. Top it off with a crumbly, crunchy topping and a drizzle of icing and this baby has it all.

Assembling the Spiced Prune Coffee Cake

Step 1 to layering Spiced Prune Coffee Cake
Step 1 – Spread half of the coffee cake batter into a lined cake pan.
Step 2 layering Spiced Prune Puree Filling
Step 2 – gently spread the Prune Puree over the first cake layer.
Step 3 adding second layer of cake batter
Step 3 – spread on the remaining cake batter layer.
Step 4 adding crumble top to cake
Step 4 – top with the crumble top.
Step 5 bake Spiced Prune Coffee Cake
Step 5 – bake the Spiced Prune Coffee Cake!
Step 6 cool Spiced Prune Coffee Cake
Step 6 – cool the cake on a cooling rack for at least 30-45 minutes before adding the glaze.

This recipe is one you’ll want around for a long weekend; a kind of cake you can enjoy for breakfast, dessert and everything in between. Making the Spiced Prune Coffee Cake recipe before family or friends arrive for the holidays is a solid pre-made breakfast move. Bake it, set it out, and let people snack on the coffee cake all morning until the main dinner event. An easy bake to feed a crowd.

Icing the cake

spiced apple cider icing ingredients
The icing is a simple mix of sifted powdered sugar whisked together with spiced apple cider.
spiced apple cider icing
Just whisk the ingredients together until the icing runs off of the whisk in a thick, smooth ribbon.
Icing the Spiced Prune Coffee Cake
Then drizzle the icing over the Spiced Prune Coffee Cake.
Spiced Prune Coffee Cake with icing
Don’t you just want to snuggle into this situation?

I hope this Spiced Prune Coffee Cake recipe will encourage you to rethink prunes. It’s fun to reorient our perceptions of certain foods and experience new things. Taking a classic coffee cake and giving it a new yet familiar spin is a good example of just that. Find a new comfort by trying this comforting Spiced Prune Coffee Cake.

This post was proudly made in partnership with California Prunes . All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love. Follow @caprunes on Instagram to learn more about the health benefits of California Prunes and discover new recipes! 

Spiced Prune Coffee Cake sliced
Cut the Spiced Prune Coffee Cake into 12 large pieces or 16 smaller pieces and serve warm with coffee, obviously.
Slice of Spiced Prune Coffee Cake
That spiced prune puree filling layer tastes like cinnamon roll filling but even more jammy and elegant.
Prune Coffee Cake slices
Fancy a slice?
Print
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Spiced Prune Coffee Cake by Baking The Goods

Spiced Prune Coffee Cake


  • Author: Becky Sue of Baking The Goods
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 16 slices
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Description

Spiced Prune Coffee Cake made with tangy sour cream and cider infused cake hugs around a jammy, spiced prune filling topped with a crunchy spicy walnut crumble finished with a drizzle of icing.


Ingredients

Units

PRUNE PUREE FILLING

  • 16 ounces whole pitted prunes (- about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 1 1/2 cups spiced apple cider
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

STREUSEL TOPPING

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (- cold and cut into 1/4" cubes)
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (- lightly packed)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup walnuts (- roughly chopped)

COFFEE CAKE

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (- melted and cooled)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup spiced apple cider

GLAZE

  • 1 cup powdered sugar (- sifted)
  • 1 1/2 –2 tablespoons spiced cider

Instructions

PRUNE PUREE FILLING

  1. Combine pitted prunes, spiced apple cider, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You should end up with about 2 – 2 1/2 cups. Set aside.

STREUSEL TOPPING

  1. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, spices and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and use a pastry blender or squish between your fingers to combine the ingredients until crumbly. Mix in chopped walnuts. Place in the fridge or freezer to chill while you prepare the cake.

COFFEE CAKE

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line with parchment paper or lightly grease and flour or sugar a 9" x 13" baking pan. I like using granulated sugar in place of flour. It works like a charm and gives a teeny touch of extra sweetness to the bottom and sides of the cake.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Make a well in the center.
  3. In another mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs and whisk in the melted and cooled butter, spiced apple cider, and vanilla.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the well of the dry ingredients bowl and mix together. Spoon in the sour cream and fold into the mixutre, be sure to scrape around the bottom and sides of the bowl as you fold the ingredients together but be careful not to over-mix. It's fine if there are still some floury patches.
  5. In your prepared cake pan, pour half of the batter and use an offset spatula to spread in an even layer. Add the prune puree and use an offset spatula to gently spread in an even layer. Top with the remaining cake batter and spread in an even layer. Finish by sprinkling the streusel topping evenly over the top.
  6. Bake for 65-75 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the bake time. The streusel should be a warm, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. If it feels like the top is browning too much, cover with foil for the remainder of the bake.
  7. Allow to cool in the pan for 30-45 minutes, then use the parchment paper to carefully lift the cake from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to finishing cooling for another 30-45 minutes.

GLAZE

  1. While the cake cools. Whisk the sifted powdered sugar with the spiced apple cider until smooth and it runs off the whisk in a thick flowing ribbon. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake and allow to set for a few minutes.
  2. Cut into 12 large pieces or 16 smaller pieces and serve with hot coffee, obviously.

Notes

*Cut into 16 slices or 12 large slices for great big coffee shop style coffee cake. 

*This coffee cake reheats very well and tastes even better when served warm!

*This recipe can be made at half size by cutting the ingredients in half and baking in an 8″ x 8″ square baking pan. However, the bake time may be less, so be sure to watch the cake closely.

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
  • Cuisine: coffee cake

Keywords: Coffee Cake, Prune Coffee Cake, Spiced Prune Coffee Cake

Questions? Hot tip?

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Breakfast & Brunch, Cakes, Quick Breads Tagged With: Prune Cake, Prune Coffee Cake, Spiced Prune Coffee Cake

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Comments

  1. Denise Y. says

    December 14, 2022 at 7:10 AM

    Can I cut this recipe in half but bake it in a 9X5 loaf pan?

    Sounds like heaven in a pan 🤤

    • beckysue says

      December 14, 2022 at 10:00 AM

      You can absolutely cut the recipe in half. I have made a half sized version in an 8″ square pan and it works great! A 9″x5″ pan should work well too, just know you may need to adjust the bake time. Or if you do make the full version, you can wrap the extra cake in plastic wrap and foil and freeze it to store. Then, warm the cake at 350° in foil for about 20-25 minutes and it’s as fresh as new! Happy baking, Denise. ☺️

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