plum cheong sponge
Kenji Morimoto•
Nov 25, 2025
As someone who doesn't bake regularly, this is SUCH an easy and simple cake. I've now made it a few times, and it's really customisable in terms of the fruit (and cheong) you use. I've gone with a mixed berry cheong and plums, however I imagine most fruit variations will work here based on your favourite fruit (and cheong) combinations.
Cheong is essentially equal parts sugar to fruit, preserved and slightly fermented (especially if you let it ferment with the fruit in the syrup instead of straining the fruit). It can get a bit boozy which in my opinion, works so well in baking applications. Don't have cheong? Swap it out with macerated fruit, or even jam.
Serve this sponge with yogurt, creme fraiche, or sourcream, and a drizzle of cheong.
Kenji Morimoto is a London-based Japanese American food writer and content creator who specializes in fermentation. He draws from his cultural heritage to teach, write, and share culinary knowledge through various platforms, including his popular Instagram @kenjcooks and his upcoming book "Ferment."
Ingredients (7)
Ingredients (7)
Instructions
Make the batter by mixing together all of the ingredients (except the cheong and fruit) until a smooth batter has formed.
Put the fruit and cheong in the baking pan, followed by the batter, and bake at 200C for 20-25 minutes till the sponge is golden brown. Let this cool before serving.
Notes
Notes
I used a 20cm (8in) square baking tin.
