Grandma's Plumcake

Name: Grandma's Plumcake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 2 ¼ cups; Sugar ¾ cup; Eggs medium 3; Whole milk ¼ cup; Lemon peel ½; Sunflower seed oil 3 ½ tbsp; Baking powder 1 ¾ tsp; Whole milk ½ cup; Eggs 1; Sugar 5 tbsp; Type 00 flour ¼ cup; Lemon peel ½; Pine nuts 0.3 cup

it br de es fr

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Monica Pannacci

In Italy, especially in the beautiful Tuscany, grandma's pound cake—known as plumcake della nonna—has this unique twist that’s just deeply rooted in local pastry traditions. Really good stuff. It combines the tender crumb of a soft cake with these creamy pockets of rich crema pasticcera. Imagine a grandma's pound cake mingling with the famous torta della nonna. And look, instead of the usual shortcrust, you get this fluffy, moist dough that soaks up all that sweet flavor, making every bite feel super nostalgic. And toasted pine nuts on top? Seriously good crunch. Plus, you’ll often catch a hint of lemon or vanilla wafting from Italian kitchens when this dessert is on the table.

Folks in Tuscany love grabbing a slice with their morning coffee or as an afternoon snack, showing how a traditional pound cake recipe can fit perfectly into everyday life. There’s something special about this golden cake—it’s simple but way way packed with flavor, like so many Italian homemade sweets.

Many say the best old-fashioned pound cake is the kind that brings back memories of family kitchens and slow Sundays. In Italy, the plumcake della nonna is beloved because it’s not too fancy or fussy. You won’t find anything wild in the ingredients, just the basics: good butter, eggs, sugar and a generous filling of pastry cream. That's what makes it a real homemade pound cake—easy, dependable, and sweet without being over the top. This cake harks back to those classic flavors everyone grew up with. Pretty much. Similar to a butter cake but with an Italian twist thanks to the pastry cream and pine nuts.

It shares its spot on the dessert table with other favorites like ciambellone or torta di mele, but this classic pound cake always seems to disappear first. The tangy notes from the cream blend so well with the rich cake—making it just right for anyone who likes their sweets moist and full of that homemade feel. Around Tuscany, recipes for this cake get passed down, and every family adds their own little spin, so you know you’re getting something special every time. For sure.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for a 10x4.5 inch mold: Type 00 flour 2 ¼ cups (270 g); Sugar ¾ cup (170 g); Eggs 3 - medium; Whole milk ¼ cup (50 g); Lemon peel ½; Sunflower seed oil 3 ½ tbsp (50 g); Baking powder 1 ¾ tsp (8 g)

for the custard cream: Whole milk ½ cup (125 g); Eggs 1; Sugar 5 tbsp (65 g); Type 00 flour ¼ cup (25 g); Lemon peel ½

for the decoration: Pine nuts 0.3 cup (40 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Grandma's Plumcake

To prepare grandma's plumcake, first make the custard cream. Pour the milk along with the whole lemon peel into a saucepan 1 and heat it over low heat without boiling. In another pot, pour the sugar and the egg 2, beat quickly with a whisk, then incorporate the flour 3.

and mix again with the whisk until you get a homogeneous mixture 4. As soon as the milk is hot, remove the lemon peel and pour it into the mixture of eggs, sugar, and flour 5. Stir with a whisk and return to the heat. Cook for a few minutes, continuing to stir, until the cream has thickened 6. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and let cool.

Now move on to the plumcake batter. In a large bowl, pour the eggs and sugar 7. Whisk with electric beaters until you get a light and frothy mixture 8. Add the grated lemon zest 9.

incorporate the milk 10, the oil 11, and continue mixing with the beaters. Add the sifted flour 12.

and mix again with the electric beaters 13. Add the baking powder 14 and mix again with a spatula until you get a smooth and homogeneous batter 15.

Oil and flour a 10x4.5 inch plumcake mold. Pour half of the batter into the mold and level it with the spatula 16. Bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes. Then remove the plumcake from the oven 17 and spread the custard cream on top, avoiding the edges 18.

Cover with the remaining batter and using a spatula, spread it well even at the edges. Cover with pine nuts 19 and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove the plumcake from the oven 20 and let it cool completely on a wire rack before serving it 21.