Enjoy summer fruit season with a plum cake
Los Angeles Times
Stone-fruit season is upon us. Here's a recipe with the sweet/sour tang of fresh ripe plums.
PLUM UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) plus 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 6 to 8 ripe plums
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the 1/4 cup butter into pieces and place in small skillet over medium heat until browned but not burnt. Refrigerate.
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk; add the pods. Heat to warm, then allow to steep and cool.
Melt the remaining butter in a small, nonstick skillet. Remove it from the heat and add the brown sugar, stirring. Pour the mixture into an 8-inch round buttered cake pan, evenly coating the bottom of the pan.
Cut plums into 6-8 slices each. Arrange these in a single layer of concentric circles on the bottom of the pan, beginning at the outside edge. They should touch but not overlap. Repeat. Set aside.
Beat the cooled browned butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg until blended.
In another bowl, stir together the cake flour, salt and baking powder. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk.
Fold the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture alternately with the vanilla-bean milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture.
Gently spoon the batter over the top of the sliced plums in the cake pan. Spread the batter over the fruit so all the fruit is covered and the batter is distributed to the sides of the pan.
Bake until the cake tests done in the center and is golden brown, about 50 to 55 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it stand for a few minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen the edges. Put a serving plate on top of the cake and invert. Carefully remove the baking pan from the cake.
Cool. Serve warm. Serves 8 to 10.
Each of 10 servings: 255 calories, 3 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 9 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 44 milligrams cholesterol, 134 milligrams sodium.
