The Annual Plum Cake

This plum cake is so delicious, I don't know why I only make it once a year. I do, actually. I'm not huge on plums. If I do buy them, I'll only buy a couple at a time. I'm not going to go out of my way to buy enough to make a cake out of them.

Except, inevitably, I do ... mostly because someone gives me a carload of plums from their backyard, and I have to figure out what in Hades I'll do with them all.

Enter the Barefoot Contessa's "Plum Cake Tatin":

I can't express how good it is. Every year, I make it and think "I should make this all the time!" That sums it up. I never do, but still...

Basically, the halved (and pitted, natch) plums are placed cut side down in the pie plate, like so:

Then a hot, sugary caramel is poured over them, and over that is a rich, citrusy cake. After it's baked, you turn it upside down, cover it in powdered sugar and chow down. The cake is light, airy and moist, and the caramel brings out the sweetness in the plums.


It's awesome with a cup of tea.







I coulda taken a rag to the edges of that platter, huh? Geez.


Anyway, you can find the Barefoot Contessa's recipe here. I'd highly recommend it, and more than once a year.


Note: If you follow the link to the Food Network site, go to the Comments & Reviews section. Several reviewers of this dish suggested using different fruits, and I have to say, the cake (which has a slight citrus flavor) is well-designed to handle different fruits. I may try it with something other than plums.