This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.

My recipe for plum cheesecake is tasty and rustic looking. You will want to make it as soon as you have ripe plums because as I’d mentioned it’s delicious and because it’s rustic it doesn’t have to look perfect!

Take a look at our Raspberry Cheesecake Bars for another cheesecake recipe featuring summer fruit.

Top down view of cheesecake with two long slices cut out
Would you like to save this recipe?
We’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Although we usually start thinking about eating a slice of cake later in the day I think we are missing out. Why can’t cake be an all day treat, including breakfast?

I say that the morning is an opportunity to get the day off on the right foot. To me this means the occasional indulgence like this Rustic Plum Cheesecake.

Eat it for breakfast, with your afternoon tea or post-dinner dessert. You’ll never regret this tasty treat at any point of the day!

Side view of cake showing look after slice is cut out

Rustic plum cheesecake

I adapted this recipe from the Waitrose. I decided to use Russian farmer’s cheese Tvorog in place of cream cheese to make it more rustic and familiar.

I’ve replaced white sugar with demerara sugar, which is brown unrefined sugar with natural caramel tones. I also decided to use almond extract because plums are meant to be friends with almonds!

I love this recipe because it is the opposite of fussy. This cheesecake is supposed to be rustic so it is fine if it looks a little rough around the edges.

Three process shots showing plums and farmers cheese, cheese layer in a mixing bowl, and cake prior to baking

The cheesecake has two main layers, with the cheese layer and cake layer mixed separately. Make sure to run the cheese layer through a sieve to get the right consistency.

Once mixed and ready to go, add the cake layer to a pan first and then spread the cheese layer on top with a spoon. Do this gently to avoid mixing the cheese into the cake batter.

Now add the plum quarters to the top of the cake and place it in the preheated oven. When it is all done you can top with icing sugar to achieve a beautiful frosted look.

Recipe Tips and Notes

  • Your can replace the plums with other fruit including apricots, nectarines, cherries and peaches.
  • Vanilla extract can be used in place of almond extract. Double the amount used to compensate for the variation in strength of flavours.
Top down view of rustic plum cheesecake with several slices cut in the end

More cheesecake recipes

I have lots more cake recipes to try in my cake category. Here is a selection of cheesecake recipes you will love:

Or if you are looking for another way to use up plums try this Spiced Plum Upside-down Cake from Supergolden Bakes!

Rustic Plum Cheesecake

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 10
Makes 20 small squares
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients 

For the cheese filling

  • 275g / 1⅓ cup farmer's cheese or ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp demerara sugar
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.vanilla extract

For the sponge

  • 3 eggs
  • 175g / 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 175g / 1 cup demerara sugar
  • 200g / 1⅓ cups cups flour
  • tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.vanilla extract
  • 8 plums, pitted and quartered

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 28cm X 18cm (11″X 7″) rectangular pan with parchment paper, making sure paper is coming up higher than the sides of the pan. You can use a 9″ round pan if you can’t find a suitable rectangular one.
  • For the cheese filling, fix farmer's cheese with an egg, sugar, almond and vanilla extract, push it through a fine sieve to smooth it out a bit, the cheese mixture will remain slightly grainy, set aside.
  • For the sponge, in a mixing bowl combine eggs, butter, sugar, sifted flour, baking powder and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes until well combined. The batter should be light in consistency.
  • On a lined baking sheet spread the batter and then spoon the cheese mixture on top of it, then carefully swirl the cheese mixture with a knife.
  • Scatter plums all over the cake.
  • Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
  • Cool and cut in squares. Serve dusted with powdered sugar if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 903IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Julia from Vikalinka

About Me

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




15 Comments

  1. Joseph says:

    4 stars
    Hello From Texas. I read somewhere that Farmers Cheese is the same as Cottage Cheese ?? is that true??

    1. Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says:

      Hi Joseph, while they are similar, they are not the same. Farmers cheese is much drier, less grainy a little tangy. It’s closer to texture to ricotta rather than cottage cheese.

  2. Angela says:

    5 stars
    This looks delicious Julia. I love cakes like this for breakfast and the cheesecake layer looks so tempting. The little plums are so cute too.

    Angela x

  3. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says:

    5 stars
    So pretty, love the rustic and delicious feel of this cheesecake! Is it wrong that I want a slice for breakfast? ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. vikalinka says:

      It is the only right response, Laura! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Louise | Cygnet Kitchen says:

    5 stars
    Cake for breakfast? Yes, please! Although I’m afraid if I made this, I would also be having it for lunch and dinner! Love those little plums ! Thank so much for sharing my recipe too! Lou xx

  5. Lucy Parissi says:

    5 stars
    Oh my this looks so gorgeous. I love that first shot. I have been meaning to make something with plums again but run out of time before the holiday โ€“ I will just happily stare at your post instead. Eating cake for breakfast is not unheard of in Greece and when in Rome (or in this case Skiathos)… I need to do some baking!

    1. vikalinka says:

      Same in Russia, Lucy, I grew up on cake for breakfast! haha Hey better in the morning than at night, right!

  6. Hannah Hossack-Lodge says:

    5 stars
    This is so beautiful, and absolutely suitable for breakfast! I just wish my partner liked cheesecake…I rarely get to make it or I end up having to eat the whole lot myself….whether that is a bad thing or not is debatable though…

    1. vikalinka says:

      I know what you mean, but I sorta ate it by myself too. My husband was away on a work trip and kids are not too much into cooked fruit. I love it!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Jennifer says:

    5 stars
    Love this! What a great twist on a classic and endlessly customizable with any fruit.

    1. vikalinka says:

      Thank you Jennifer, yes, absolutely, any fruit will do. I am going to be so sad when summer is over!

    2. Viktoriya says:

      5 stars
      Turned out delicious and even my husband loved it! I made it with regular white sugar though and it still seemed perfect!

  8. aimee says:

    5 stars
    This looks so yummy I have got a few of the small British plums I may try it with those

    1. vikalinka says:

      Thanks, Aimee! I’ve learned that small British anything is usually better and sweeter. ๐Ÿ˜‰