This easy Nigella Plum Tarte Tatin is a warm and cozy dessert made with juicy plums, golden caramel, and a soft cake topping. You don’t need any fancy tools—just a simple baking dish and basic ingredients. It’s perfect for using ripe plums and makes your kitchen smell amazing while it bakes.

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Ingredients Needed:

5 ripe purple plums or 10 small prune plums
6 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream (or 1/3 cup plain yogurt)
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
powdered sugar for dusting

How To Make Plum Tarte Tatin Recipe?

Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 160°C. Butter an 8 to 9-inch round baking dish or deep cake pan.
Prepare the plums: Wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the pits. Place them cut side down in the buttered dish. Arrange them neatly without forcing too many in. Set aside.
Make the caramel: In a small saucepan, add 1/3 cup water and 1 cup of sugar. Heat over medium-high. Do not stir—just swirl the pan now and then. Once it turns golden amber, remove from heat and carefully pour the caramel over the plums. Let it sit while you make the batter.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a bowl, beat the butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix gently. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined.
Add the dry ingredients: In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add to the wet mixture and mix on low until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and stir the batter one last time.
Assemble and bake: Pour the batter over the plums and spread it evenly. Bake at 160°C for 35–40 minutes on the lower middle rack. When almost fully set, raise the heat to 175°C and bake for 5 more minutes until golden and set in the center.
Flip the cake: Let the cake rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Place parchment or wax paper over a serving plate, then flip the cake out onto it. Let it rest for 30 minutes so the juices settle. Dust with powdered sugar if you like.

Recipe Tips:

Use ripe but firm plums: Soft or overripe plums can release too much juice and make the cake soggy. Choose ones that are sweet but still hold their shape.
Don’t stir the caramel: Stirring can make it turn grainy. Just swirl the pan gently and watch for that golden amber color—it happens fast!
Let the caramel set before adding batter: Give the caramel a few minutes to cool on the plums before pouring in the cake batter. This keeps the layers neat.
Avoid overmixing the batter: Once the flour is in, mix gently. Overmixing will make the cake heavy instead of soft and fluffy.
Flip the cake while it’s still warm: Wait just 5 minutes after baking—flipping too early can cause burns, and flipping too late can make it stick.

How To Store Leftovers?

First, let the leftover Plum Tarte Tatin cool until it reaches room temperature. Then, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 320 kcal
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 85mg
Sodium: 100mg
Potassium: 150mg
Total Carbohydrate: 45g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 30g
Protein: 4g

Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:

Nigella Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe
Nigella Rhubarb Tart Recipe

Nigella Plum Tarte Tatin Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

320

kcal

Ingredients

5 ripe purple plums or 10 small prune plums
6 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream (or 1/3 cup plain yogurt)
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 160°C. Butter an 8 to 9-inch round baking dish or deep cake pan.
Prepare the plums: Wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the pits. Place them cut side down in the buttered dish. Arrange them neatly without forcing too many in. Set aside.
Make the caramel: In a small saucepan, add 1/3 cup water and 1 cup of sugar. Heat over medium-high. Do not stir—just swirl the pan now and then. Once it turns golden amber, remove from heat and carefully pour the caramel over the plums. Let it sit while you make the batter.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a bowl, beat the butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix gently. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined.
Add the dry ingredients: In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add to the wet mixture and mix on low until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and stir the batter one last time.
Assemble and bake: Pour the batter over the plums and spread it evenly. Bake at 160°C for 35–40 minutes on the lower middle rack. When almost fully set, raise the heat to 175°C and bake for 5 more minutes until golden and set in the center.
Flip the cake: Let the cake rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Place parchment or wax paper over a serving plate, then flip the cake out onto it. Let it rest for 30 minutes so the juices settle. Dust with powdered sugar if you like.

Notes

Use ripe but firm plums: Soft or overripe plums can release too much juice and make the cake soggy. Choose ones that are sweet but still hold their shape.
Don’t stir the caramel: Stirring can make it turn grainy. Just swirl the pan gently and watch for that golden amber color—it happens fast!
Let the caramel set before adding batter: Give the caramel a few minutes to cool on the plums before pouring in the cake batter. This keeps the layers neat.
Avoid overmixing the batter: Once the flour is in, mix gently. Overmixing will make the cake heavy instead of soft and fluffy.
Flip the cake while it’s still warm: Wait just 5 minutes after baking—flipping too early can cause burns, and flipping too late can make it stick.