Easy Spiced Italian Plum Loaf with Orange Zest Recipe
This Italian Plum Walnut Loaf is tender, nutty, and bursting with juicy plums. It’s fragrant with orange zest and warming spices. I finished mine with a tangy pomegranate-cardamom glaze that’s as gorgeous as it sounds.
It’s a quick bread, perfect for using up late summer plums. Let’s make it
Looking for more Plum recipes?
How is this recipe different?
- We used Italian plums
- We used pomegranate juice for the glaze
- We used two kinds of flour
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Italian Prune Plums – small, oval, deep purple plums with golden flesh. Use ripe plums firm to the touch. They will hold their shape beautifully when baked and add a subtle tartness. Other stone fruits like apricots or firm red plums work too, but skip anything too juicy (like black plums or peaches) unless you roast them slightly first.
Plain Yogurt – adds moisture and a subtle tang that keeps the loaf soft. For a richer crumb, you can use Greek yogurt (thinned with a splash of milk) or sour cream. Buttermilk or even kefir works well, anything with mild acidity that tenderizes the batter.
Walnuts – toasty, earthy, and a little bitter to balance the sweet fruit and add texture. For a softer crunch, use pecans or hazelnuts. You can also skip the nuts entirely and add extra chopped plums or even dark chocolate chips.
Pomegranate Juice (for the glaze) – adds that naturally pink hue and bright tang that makes this loaf pop visually and flavor-wise. Cranberry juice gives a similar color, or you can use orange juice.
Other ingredients:
Dry ingredients: flour (all-purpose and whole wheat), baking powder, baking soda, salt, light brown sugar, powdered sugar
Wet ingredients: olive oil, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
Spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger
Equipment you will need
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Mixing bowls (2–3)
- Whisk
- Paring knife
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Zester or microplane
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small saucepan
- Cooling rack
- Aluminum foil
- Parchment paper
Top Tips
Use ripe but firm Italian plums – you want that deep purple skin and amber flesh, soft enough to be juicy, but not mushy. Overripe plums can bleed too much and make the loaf soggy.
Keep that batter thick – this isn’t a pourable cake batter. That thicker texture keeps the plum chunks and walnuts evenly suspended. If it’s too stiff, a splash of milk or yogurt fixes it.
Toast your walnuts – quick 5 -7 minutes in a 350°F oven or skillet makes them nutty, aromatic, and crunchy.
Don’t overmix – after you add the flour, switch to a spatula and fold just until combined. Overmixing toughens the crumb.
Bake until fully set – the top should be deeply golden and springy; a toothpick off-center should come out clean (avoid plum chunks).
Cool before glazing – let the loaf cool about 30 minutes before drizzling so the glaze sets glossy, not melty.
Make the glaze pinker – reduce your pomegranate juice by half in a saucepan first. This will deepen the color and add tangy flavor without making the glaze runny.
How to make it
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease and lightly flour a 9×5″ loaf pan
- Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat; toast 3 – 4 min, stirring frequently until fragrant. Cool and chop.
- Halve the plums, remove the pits, and chop them into chunks (the plums, not the pits :). If they are very juicy, you can toss them with 1 tsp of flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger.
- In a medium bowl, whisk oil + brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, yogurt, and milk; whisk until combined.
- Fold the flour mixture into the wet just until mostly combined; do not overmix. A few small streaks of flour are okay.
- Gently fold in the plums and the toasted walnuts. Aim for even distribution, but be gentle so the plums stay chunky.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top of the batter.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and the edges pull slightly from the pan, 60 – 70 minutes, but start checking at 50 – 55 minutes. Because of juicy plums, use these checks: insert a toothpick near the center, but avoid piercing a large plum chunk. It should come out with a few moist crumbs (not raw batter). If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.
- If the interior still seems underdone but the top is perfect, lower the temperature to 325°F and continue for 5–10 min. You can also tent with aluminum foil to prevent the top from browning too much.
- Let cool in the pan 12–15 minutes, then lift the loaf using parchment and transfer it to a wire rack. Let cool another 10–20 minutes so it’s warm but not piping hot.
- To make the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, 1 tbsp pomegranate juice, orange zest, ¼ tsp cardamom (add up to 1 more tbsp juice if needed to reach a slow-drip consistency). Stir in optional vanilla or honey.
Best ways to enjoy
Fresh out of the oven (almost) – maybe wait 15 min
Toasted the next day – with a pat of butter or a drizzle of honey.
Topped with cream or vanilla ice cream
With yogurt and berries – and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup
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Storage instructions, reheating
Room Temperature:
Once the loaf is fully cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator:
For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days. Bring it back to room temp before serving (the texture softens again once the chill wears off).
Freezer:
Wrap slices individually, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight on the counter.
To Reheat:
Warm slices in a low oven (300°F / 150°C) for about 8–10 minutes, or a few seconds in the microwave if you’re impatient. The glaze softens again, and the plums taste extra jammy.
Easy Spiced Italian Plum Loaf with Orange Zest Recipe
Equipment
- loaf pan 9×5
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
- spatula, wooden spoon
- zester, microplane
- cooling rack
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup neutral oil
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup plain yogurt 120 g or sour cream
- ½ cup milk 120 ml
Fruit and Nuts
- 1 ½ cups fresh Italian plums pitted and chopped into chunks (about 6–8 plums)
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour to toss with plums if they are very juicy
- ½ cup walnuts 60 g, toasted and coarsely chopped
Pomegranate Orange-Zest + Cardamom Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar 120 g, sifted
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice start with 1 tbsp
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom ground
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease and line a 9×5″ loaf pan with parchment (leave overhang)
- Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium, stirring, 3–4 min until fragrant. Cool and chop.
- Chop plums, remove pits. Toss the chopped plums with 1 tsp flour (this helps suspend them in the batter).
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger.
- In a separate bowl whisk oil + brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, yogurt, and milk; whisk until combined.
- Fold the dry mix into the wet just until mostly combined — do not overmix. A few small streaks of flour are okay.
- Gently fold in the floured plums and the toasted walnuts. Aim for even distribution but be gentle so plums stay chunk-y.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 60–70 minutes. Start checking at 50–55 minutes. Because of juicy plums, use these checks: insert a toothpick near the center but avoid piercing a large plum chunk — it should come out with a few moist crumbs (not raw batter). If top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.
- If the interior still seems underdone but the top is perfect, lower temp to 325°F and continue 5–10 min.
- Cool in pan 12–15 minutes, then lift loaf using parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool another 10–20 minutes so it’s warm but not piping hot.
- Make glaze: whisk powdered sugar + 1 tbsp pomegranate juice + orange zest + ¼ tsp cardamom (add up to 1 more tbsp juice if needed to reach a slow-drip consistency). Stir in optional vanilla/honey if you like.
- Drizzle glaze over the warm loaf and let it set. Finish with extra orange zest or a few chopped walnuts.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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Conclusion
This loaf is everything I love about early fall. Comforting and flavorful. The walnuts add crunch, the plums bake into jammy bites, and that pink glaze makes every slice feel special.
FAQ
I don’t have fresh plums. Can I use frozen plums?
Yes! Just thaw and pat them dry before folding them into the batter. Frozen plums release more juice, so a quick blot with a paper towel helps keep the loaf from getting soggy.
Can I skip the glaze?
You totally can. The loaf is flavorful enough on its own, but the pomegranate–cardamom glaze adds brightness and a little tang.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yep! Swap the yogurt for a plant-based version (unsweetened coconut or almond yogurt works best).
What if I don’t have cardamom?
Try ground cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg instead. It’ll change the character slightly — more classic cozy spice, less floral — but still delicious.
Can I bake this in a different pan?
Yes! You can make this as muffins (bake 20–25 minutes), in an 8×8-inch square pan (around 40–45 minutes), or in a springform pan.
The top of the cake cracked. What happened?
Totally normal! That’s actually a good sign — it means your batter rose properly. If you want to control the crack for a prettier finish, use your spatula to make a shallow line down the center before baking.
This Plum Loaf is amazing. The plums are jammy, the walnuts add a delicious crunch, and the pomegranate glaze is next level. It’s a must! Sub the plums for other fruit you have on hand and bake it today.