With all the sweet cinnamon-sugar flavors of a snickerdoodle, plus a striking jammy ribbon of cinnamon brown sugar and chopped prunes and pecans, this Prune-Cinnamon Swirl Loaf Cake is the answer to all your warmly spiced cake cravings. Incorporated into both the batter and filling, California Prunes are the naturally sweet jewels of rich, fruity flavor that take this loaf cake to new heights. Not only do they add incredible moisture and natural sweetness to the cake in the form of prune purée, but the chopped prunes in the filling also add a satisfying chew that’s perfectly balanced by the crunch of chopped pecans. Topped with an extra helping of cinnamon sugar and pecans and baked to golden perfection, this cake will be the perfect accompaniment to your morning cup of coffee.
Rich and smooth, with an ability to enhance both sweet and savory flavors, California Prunes are the naturally nutritious and surprisingly versatile fruit that’ll add unmatched texture and taste to all your baked goods. Not only do they boast a powerful combination of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, but they’ll also add unmatched natural sweetness to your bakes. Try them whole, diced, or puréed in all your favorite sweets, cakes, sauces, and other bakes. To learn more and find other inspired recipes, go to californiaprunes.org.
- Batter:
- 3 ounces (85 grams) roughly chopped California Prunes (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup (120 grams) boiling water (see Note)
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons (12.5 grams) baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoons (3.75 grams) kosher salt
- ¾ cup (180 grams) sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 grams) water, room temperature
- ¼ cup (56 grams) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature and lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) vanilla bean paste
- Filling:
- ¼ cup (55 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (92 grams) very finely chopped California Prunes (¼ to ⅛ inch)
- 2 tablespoons (14 grams) finely chopped pecans
- Topping:
- 3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (28 grams) chopped pecans
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- For batter: In a medium heatproof bowl, place prunes in an even layer; add ½ cup (120 grams) boiling water so prunes are just submerged. Let stand for 15 minutes.
- In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse prune mixture until a paste forms, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. (It’s OK if some prune flecks remain. You should have about ⅔ cup or around 189 grams purée.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add prune purée, sour cream, ¼ cup (60 grams) room temperature water, oil, egg, and vanilla bean paste, stirring until combined. Spread half of batter in prepared pan.
- For filling: In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; sprinkle on top of batter in pan, leaving a ⅛- to ¼-inch border, layering and leveling mixture as needed. (It will be a generous layer). Top with prunes and pecans. (It’s OK if some prunes and pecans touch sides of pan.) Dollop remaining batter evenly on top of filling, and spread into an even layer.
- For topping: In a small bowl, stir together granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a butter knife and working from short side to short side of pan, swirl batter with a rounded zigzag motion, moving from long side to long side, making sure to gently reach knife to bottom of pan. Tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter to help spread batter into an even layer; use a small offset spatula to bring batter back toward edges of pan, if necessary. Sprinkle sugar mixture and pecans on top of batter.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Rotate pan; bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 200°F (93°C), 25 to 30 minutes more. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
I was happily rolling along with this delicious recipe until I reached Step 6. The pic of the finished cake shows a beautiful and luxurious ribbon of sweet prune perfection in the middle of the loaf. However, Step 6 contradicts this effect by saying to swirl the batter in a zigzag movement. I was like, Hmm… should I omit this step or should I follow it like the meticulous baker I am. I wish I had omitted it! My prune puree was spotty and not nearly as lovely as the photo. This aside, I would rate it 5 stars for the perfect cross between a snickerdoodle and a dense, almost Slovakian prune cake. An absolutely lovely and deliciously sweet winter treat.