Plum Cake

With all the beautiful stone fruit coming to our fruit stands right now I decided to post a plum cake I posted here. After making it this time, I decided on a few tweaks, because it just seemed a bit on the sweet side for me with the crumb topping and the drizzle. The drizzle is quite optional, but it does look nice. Instead of plums, you can use apricots or sliced peaches.  

topping:

• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter 

cake:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ c flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk or buttermilk
• about 8 Italian plums, quartered or cut in half

glaze:

• ¾ cup icing sugar
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

Method:

1. In small bowl, stir together sugar, flour and cinnamon for topping. With pastry blender cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy. I use a wooden spoon.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time and vanilla. 
4. Stir in combined dry ingredients alternately with milk. 
5. Spread batter into greased and floured 9 - 10 inch spring-form pan. 
6. Arrange plums, cut side up, on top of batter.
7. Sprinkle evenly with topping.
8. Bake at 350°F. about 50 min, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove rim of pan. 
10. Mix glaze and drizzle over cake. Serves 8 - 10 

(If you line the greased pan with parchment paper, you can slide the cake onto a serving plate. Otherwise just leave the cake on the plate of the baking pan and place that on a serving plate once it’s cooled.)