Plum Cake

Plum tart tatin

When I was in fourth grade I entered a Girl Scout bake-off, and won first prize with a plum cake. I believe it was the Plum Cake Cockaigne from The Joy of Cooking. Each of my sisters and I made something for this competition, and basically my mom just gave us each a recipe. I don’t think plum cake was my choice, rather it was my assignment. Even at age ten, when I won I felt like an imposter. I had followed the recipe, and had been the lucky one to be handed what was to become the winner, I didn’t feel particularly triumphant.  I had merely executed a plan; the recipe had won.

Whether or not it was the recipe or I who was the winner, the cake was quite delicious. I do like chocolate, and have never turned any down, but fruit desserts are really my favorites. I love pies, tarts, cafloutis and any variety of upside down cake. I think a really excellent apple tart may be my favorite dessert, but plum cake… it’s like choosing a favorite color, why limit myself to one when there are so many great ones?

Recently I was invited to a friend’s house for dinner, and I went to the store planning on making a strawberry something, but the strawberries looked uninspiring, and there were these lovely black plums cunningly displayed in those green cardboard boxes that make you feel like you’re at an farm stand, not Whole Foods Market. Anyway I decided on the plums and then started my search for a recipe.

I am not a baker, and have great admiration for people who are. People who understand the balance of chemistry and alchemy and can produce amazing baked goods without referring to recipes are a wonder to me. I am most emphatically not one of those people. Lead me to your pantry and I can make a great meal from whatever you have on hand, but ask me to make anything besides a pie without a recipe, and it won’t end well. So to the internet I go, and one of the first recipes I came across was Ina Garten’s Plum Tart Tatin.

If you have never made, or heard of one, a tart tatin is an upside down affair; the fruit is laid on the bottom of a pan in a pool of caramelized sugar, and the batter is spread on top. It is traditionally made with apples. It comes out sticky, runny and gooey in the best possible ways. I have made this plum version twice, and mine is a garish, almost neon purple color, (Ina’s is more golden) and the perfect summer dessert.  (I used black plums but Ina uses prune plums.) You could serve it warm with vanilla or ginger ice cream, but both times I’ve made it I served it just as it is, and didn’t feel like it needed anything.

If you have a fourth grader who likes to bake she/he could easily make this, though you might want to supervise the sugar caramelization and pouring process, the rest is quite easy. Plum cake is a good starter cake, I think my prize winner showed me that anyone (even I) could cook successfully.

Almost Ina Garten’s Plum Tart Tatin

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Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 5-6 Medium black plums (cut in half, pits removed)
• 1 3/4 cup sugar (divided)
• 2 Large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup plus 2 TBL flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F Use 1 TBL of butter to butter the inside of a 9" glass pie pan Cut plums in half and remove pits (I used a melon baller to remove the pits without ruining the plums) Arrange plums in the pie pan, cut side down

Step 2

Put 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water into a small, heavy pan, and cook over medium-high heat until mixture turns amber, about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it! Pour sugar mix over the plums

Step 3

Cream together remaining butter and sugar using paddle, until light and fluffy (you don't want to see grains of sugar) Reduce speed of mixer, and add eggs one at a time, adding the second egg when the first is completely incorporated Add sour cream, zest, and vanilla, and mix well

Step 4

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder, and add to batter with mixer on low speed Mix only until combined

Step 5

Batter will be a bit sticky, scoop it out and spread evenly over plums Bake 30-40 minutes until top is golden You may want to put a pan underneath your pie pan to catch any drips, as the fruit will bubble up the sides

Step 6

Cool on a rack for fifteen minutes, run a knife around the edge, then invert on to a plate, the tart will be runny, so make sure the plate is wide enough If a plum sticks, remove it with a knife and replace it in the tart (this hasn't happened to me) Dust with confectioner's sugar