Pretty Plum Cake

Chef #426229 Picton43's Note:

This recipe is from a booklet " Bake Fest '96' which after carrying around for 12 years I finally made yesterday with excellent reviews from my family. It calls for a 9" springform pan , I used a 9" square pan with excellent results.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 10

Yield: 1.0 cake

• 8 -12 plums, halved and pitted (I used less)

Topping

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold butter

Cake

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk

Glaze

• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1. Topping:.
2. Stir together sugar,flour,cinnamon.
3. With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
4. Set aside.
5. Cake:
6. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until fluffy.
7. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
8. Add vanilla.
9. In separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt.
10. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk.
11. Pour into lightly buttered 9" springform pan.
12. Arrange plums cut side up on top of batter; sprinkle with topping.
13. Bake in 350 F oven about 1 hour; test for doneness.
14. Cool in pan on rack, 10 minutes.
15. Glaze:.
16. Stir together icing sugar, milk, and almond extract until smooth.
17. Drizzle glaze over warm cake.
18. Run a knife around edge of pan, release sides of pan.

Reviews

[Ginger Rose]

I had some plums that needed using so I made this. It was a lovely cake! I forgot the glaze though. Thanks!

[Elly in Canada]

My selection for PAC, Spring 2009. This recipe is excellent! The cake is light and just sweet enough to be perfect, a great contrast to the tart plums. The topping and glaze simply enhance an already great plum cake. My plums were large so I only used four. Baking time was perfect for my oven; by the way, this cake smells wonderful when it is baking!

[Phil the kiwi]

I've made this recipe twice now each with different plums from our trees and both were fantastic. In the second one I added preserved cherries to the base (only because I had some that needed to be used up) and they were delicious but the cake didn't rise as much and was much softer and moist. I also decided to used lemon juice instead of almond extract. Both amendments made a great cake but I think the original recipe is perfect as it is. Thanks for a great recipe, I've had rave reviews.