Dimply Plum Cake
The plums need to be quite small in order to fit them four across as described. Smitten Kitchen says you can use apricots or other stone fruits also and mix up the zest and the spices and whatever so maybe I will try making a pear or a cherry cake some time just for kicks.
Originally from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home To Yours, by way of Smitten Kitchen:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/dimply-plum-cake/
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
5 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 C. (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
generous 1/4 t. orange oil
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 purple or red plums (or even Italian prune plums, halved and pitted
DIRECTIONS:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan, dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and put the pan on a baking sheet.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.
3. Working with a mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until it’s soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes, then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for a minute after each egg goes in. Still working on medium speed, beat in the oil, zest and vanilla; the batter will look smooth and creamy, almost satiny.
4. Removing the mixer, add the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing in by hand until they are incorporated.
5. Run a spatula around the bowl and under the batter, just to make sure there are no dry spots, then scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Arrange the plums cut side up in the batter–Dorie says she usually makes four rows of four plum halves each–jiggling the plums a tad just so they settle comfortably into the batter.
6. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is honey brown and puffed around the plums and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 15 minutes during which time the plums juices will seep back into the cake then run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold the cake. Invert and cool right side up. (Being a casual person, I did not unmold the cake.)
7. Optional: Dust the top with powdered sugar. (The plums dissolve the sugar, but it remains on the cake, making it speckly white.)
Note: You can wrap the cake and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, during which time it will get softer and moister.
