Tuesdays with Dorie: Flip-Over Plum Cake

When I was a little girl. I loved plums so much that my mother had to regulate my consumption. I was allowed no more than 2-3 plums (for my own sake) and she would ask me, "Becky, how many plums have you had today?" I'm sure I snuck a few here and there because honestly this stone fruit of summer was far-too tempting!

 

Now that I'm an adult I eat as many plums as I want. I am super blessed to have access to a beautiful Italian Plum Tree at my IL's home. On Saturday, my husband and I went over and picked buckets of fruit. And many of the plums made it into this week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick. My pick, actually.

This recipe was super easy to make and full of wonderful flavor. I have only used the spice coriander a few times in baking and cooking, so it was fun to pull out and use. I used my spice grinder---I think it made a difference to use freshly ground coriander.

 My favorite part of the recipe was macerating the quartered plums in sugar, cinnamon, ginger and coriander. It made the most beautiful and delicious syrup.

Was anyone else surprised not to see eggs in the recipe?  I kept looking over and over the ingredient list and directions to see if eggs were supposed to be in there. No biggie.

I had my mom and sister over for dessert. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful meeting we attended for the women's organization in my church. We all enjoyed it and agreed it needed nothing more than a spoon to eat it with and a glass of milk to wash it down.

We sat and ate our plum cake, discussing the talks that evening. This talk in particular was my favorite. It was so pertinent to a lot of things I've had on my mind lately. Elder Uchtdorf makes a metaphor with the Forget Me Not flower throughout his talk. There are so many messages that are great for women around the world...particularly one about being patient with ourselves.

Thanks to everyone who baked along this week. I am having a glorious, yet crazy, last few months with baking through all the recipes I missed...I only have 51 left! And I will finish before December 31. I love Tuesdays with Dorie. I can't express like I would want how rewarding this hobby has been. You can read more of my thoughts in my first TWD pick's post.

Here's the recipe for all of you who have yet to try it! Be sure to check out the Leave Your Link post to see my fellow Tuesdays with Dorie baker's blogs and how they liked this Flip-Over Plum Cake.


Flip-Over Plum Cake
from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan (page 42)

Who wouldn't want a cake that's got down-home, not-in-the-least-fussy good looks, an unquestionably appealing flavor and a texture that can't decide whether it wants to be a cake or your favorite nursery pudding? It's put together in minutes without any equipment fancier than a couple of bowls and a whisk. Just pour the batter into the pan and top it with fruit. When you pull the cake from teh oven, you'll see that the ingredients have flip-flopped and the fruit is bubbling merrily on the bottom and the batter has risen to the top.


Ingredients:
2 pounds ripe but firm plums, preferably Italian prune plums pitted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 ground coriander
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

GETTING READY:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Have at hand a 9-x-12-inch baking pan, prefarably Pyrex or porcelain.

Cut each plum into 4 to 6 pieces and toss into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, the cinnamon, ginger and coriander, stir the plums around and then let them sit, stirring from time to time, while you prepare the batter. They will give up some juice and a syrup will develop.

Put the remaining 1 cup sugar, the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Whisk to blend, then pour in the milk and extracts and whisk again, so you have a nice smooth batter.

Put the butter in the baking pan and melt it in the oven, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.

Give the batter a light whisking and pour it over the hot butter--it will probably set around the edges immediately. Scatter the plums over the batter and drizzle over whatever syrup has accumulated in the bowl.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, or let cool to room temperature.

Makes about 10 servings.

SERVING:
Bring the cake to the table in its baking pan--it's way too soft and creamy to even think about unmolding--and serve it family-style.

STORING:
The cake is best--and most like pudding--the day it is made, but it can be cooled, covered and refrigerated overnight. Served chilled it will be firmer but still delicious.

You can see my first TWD pick, Burnt Sugar Ice Cream, here.