Italian Plum Cake
The brown sugar cake batter and sweet crumb topping are a perfect compliment to the not-too-sweet plums. It is great for breakfast with a cup of tea and/or with ice cream after dinner. This is cake also seems to get better the second day, if there is any left.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 18 Italian plums cut in half and pitted.
Topping
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan with butter.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Mix in the zest and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan.
- Place half of the cut plums on the batter, cut side up. Spread the remaining batter over the plums.
- Spread the batter into an even layer and top with remaining plums.
Topping
- In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and melted butter. You may have to mix it with your hands to get all the butter incorporated.
- Spread the crumb topping over the plums evenly.
- Place the cake on two stacked cookie sheets, to prevent the bottom from getting too brown during the long baking time. Bake for about 1 1/4 hours or until a tester come out clean. Cool on a rack.
- Serve it slightly warm or at room temperature.