This gluten-free plum cake is moist, tender, and layered with juicy, caramelized plums. Naturally dairy-free and with a nut-free option, it is an easy summer dessert that is just as perfect for casual barbecues as it is for special occasions. The sweet-tart plums bake right into the soft cake, creating a beautiful topping once flipped upside down.
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Our plum tree has been producing an abundance of ripe, juicy plums this summer! We are super excited because, in the past, the squirrels got to them before we got to enjoy any fruit.
You are going to fall in love with every bite of this gluten-free upside-down cake with plums. They add so much flavor and go perfectly with the fluffy, sweet cake. One of the things I love about this gluten free plum cake is that it is also dairy-free, and there is a nut-free option as well, so it is great for those with food allergies.
Plums and stone fruit make the best summer gluten-free desserts. You will also love this Gluten-Free Plum Galette recipe! I also have another great upside-down cake recipe. This Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a reader favorite.
If you love desserts as much as we do, don’t forget to check out my delicious gluten-free dessert recipes. This cake is fluffy, and the plums’ flavors bake so nicely into the cake. If you need more recipe inspiration, I have over 100 incredible gluten-free cake recipes on the blog.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other blends will work, but you may need to adjust the moisture levels of the cake batter. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
- Almond Flour – I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is coarser and will make your cake grainy. See the Substitutions section for a nut-free option. Keeps the crumb moist and adds a delicate nuttiness.
- Sugar – Use cane sugar.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain a binder, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- Baking Powder and Salt – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Non-Dairy Milk – I used almond milk, but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work. I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- Light Oil – I used coconut oil, but you can also use another type of oil, butter, or vegan butter. Fats prevent dryness while keeping the crumb soft.
- Plums – Choose ripe but firm plums for the best flavor and to avoid a mushy texture.
Substitutions:
- Make it nut-free! You can make this cake nut-free by omitting the almond flour and adding 1/2 cup of gluten-free flour blend.
- Make it gum-free! If you can’t have xanthan or guar gum, use my DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend.
- Swap the ripe plums for other types of fruit like strawberries, peaches, apricots, and apples.
A Note From My Kitchen
This cake was a creative outlet to use up some plums. When I originally created this recipe, we were getting a lot of plums from our tree. Over the past few years, the squirrels have developed a taste for plums, making it a struggle to harvest much fruit from our tree.
The plum cake is pretty straightforward to make, and I tested it with two flour blends. I also tested a nut-free blend for those who can not have nuts. I feel like the almond flour holds in moisture beautifully, and swapping it with a bit less flour got the same cake texture.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Plum Upside Down Cake (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add all of your dry ingredients to a large
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Step 2: Add your wet ingredients to the bowl and whisk. If the coconut oil is solid, which is common when it is cold, melt it in the microwave oven for 25 seconds.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix. This will help keep your cake light and fluffy, while overmixing the batter makes it denser.
🔑 Sandi says: Mix the batter until it is just barely mixed. Overmixing the batter will make your cake turn out dense.
Step 4: This is what your gluten-free cake batter will look like. It should resemble thick pancake batter. The cake batter should be thick but pourable. Now, prep the plums and pan. Cut your plums in half and remove the pit.
Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Step 5: I used a springform pan for this recipe, but you can use any cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. This will help you when it comes time to remove your cake from the pan.
Remember that the number of plums you need will vary by their size. Our tree’s plums are tiny, so I needed to use more to cover the bottom of the springform pan.
Step 6: Pour the cake batter over the plums and spread it around to cover the plums evenly. Put a pan under the springform pan in case of leaks. Bake at 350º F for 45 minutes.
Step 7: When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven. Let it sit on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Loosen the sides of the springform pan to allow it to cool faster.
You will know when this gluten free upside-down cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the center, and it comes out clean. As the cake bakes, you will notice the sides also start coming away from the pan.
Let the cake cool before flipping it over. Place a plate over the top of the cake and flip the cake over.
Remove the bottom of the springform pan, then slowly (very slowly!) peel off the parchment paper. This cake is best served the day it is made. It will keep for days, but it may lose some of its color vibrancy.
Tips For Success
1. Don’t use a stand mixer. They tend to overmix the cake batter, leading to a dense cake.
2. Let the cake batter sit for 10-15 minutes. This will help to soften the rice flour in the gluten-free flour blend and eliminate the grittiness.
If you love plums as much as we do, try this Vegan Plum Sorbet recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions:
An upside-down cake is essentially a cake baked on the bottom of a baking pan, with a layer of fruit on top. When it’s time to serve the upside-down cake, you usually flip it so the cake is on top and the fruit is on the bottom.
Yes! Most upside-down cake recipes should be refrigerated after they have completely cooled. The plum juice makes this cake very moist, so you must refrigerate it.
The cake will last around 3 days in the fridge. If you prefer it to be warm, you can always toss it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Yes, you can freeze this plum cake recipe. After it has cooled entirely, wrap it with plastic or tin foil. Then, place in an airtight container and put in the freezer. It will last around 1 month.
Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or to 4 months in the freezer.
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes:
If you love this gluten-free plum cake, you should try some of my other gluten-free cakes. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
- Gluten-Free Clafoutis – Easy and delicious with fruit.
- Easy Gluten-Free Lemon Pound Cake – A reader favorite. It makes two loaves.
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cake – Rich and decadent.
- Gluten-Free Honey Cake – Big, fluffy, and well-loved.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten-Free Plum Upside-Down Cake (Dairy-Free Option)
Equipment
- springform pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 cup almond flour * see note
- 1 ¼ cups cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup milk or non-dairy milk
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or another light oil
- 2 cups plums see note
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, add 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1 cup almond flour, 1 1/4 cups cane sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Use a wire whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add 1 1/4 cup milk or non-dairy milk, 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup melted coconut oil and whisk to blend.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix. The batter should be thick but pourable, like thick pancake batter. If your batter is wetter, add more flour. If your batter is thicker, add more milk. Make adjustments one tablespoon at a time.
- Wash and cut 2 cups plums in half, removing the pits.
- Line the bottom of a springform pan (or cake pan) with parchment paper. I like to put the springform pan on the parchment paper and trace it. You can then cut out the circle and place it in the pan.
- Press plum halves upside down on the parchment paper so the cut open side is facing down on the paper.
- Pour the batter over the plums and spread with the spoon to evenly distribute the batter.
- Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if it is done. Actual baking time can vary depending on the material of the pan. Glass tends to bake slower.
- Open the sides of the springform pan to allow cooling. Let the cake cool before flipping it over.
- Hold a plate over the cake top and flip the bake upside down so the cake bottom (without plums) is on the plate. Remove the springform pan bottom and slowly peel the parchment paper off the plums cake bottom.
- Optional: dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1. Other blends should work, but make moisture adjustments as needed and do not overmix the cake batter.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the donut. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the donuts need to bake longer.
- This cake will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer. Note the color vibrancy will diminish over time, so it is best served the day you bake it.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
What type of cup to measure with? Thanks
Are you in the U.S.A.? We use measuring cups. If you search online, there are a ton of converters to other countries measurements.
just put this in the oven. excited to try it
Yummy!!!
This is such an easy recipe! I felt like baking and hadn’t gone to the store. I subbed coconut sugar for the sugar, macadamia nut milk for the almond milk, added a little vanilla and used frozen cranberries I had in the freezer! It tastes amazing! I probably could have added more sugar to the cranberries – but I like things not too sweet and this works.
I love the idea of using cranberries, and I love how you made it refined sugar-free. Thank you so much for coming back to let us know that coconut sugar works in this recipe!
You’re welcome and THANK YOU for the recipe. I’m thinking of making it again with some frozen peaches. I’ll let you know how it works!
Hi……what size spring for. Pan did you use ?
Hi, it is 10 inches. You can use a smaller one if that is easier, you just need to monitor the bake time.