Plum Cake

I love good neighbors. Especially ones with happy fruit trees that drop off a bag of plums on your doorstep to enjoy! It didn't take very long to decide what I was going to do with all these ripe beauties - plum cake! A perfect way to showcase the plums, and with a little extra spice and Bert's Bites mixed into the cake, delicious!! 

Plum Cake

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon OR cardamom 
3/4 cup   Bert's Bites (pick out cranberries and crush into oat like consistency or use collected oats and small bits from the bottom of the jar)   
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola (or other neutral) oil
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 purple or red plums halved and pitted

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour (or use baking spray) a 9-inch springform pan (or any similar sized baking dish will do).

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt & cinnamon together, then mix in Bert's Bites crumbs.

With with a mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until it’s soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes, then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for a minute after each egg goes in. Still working on medium speed, beat in the oil, zest & vanilla; the batter should be smooth and creamy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.

Scrap the bowl using a spatula, making sure everything is incorporated, and then pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Arrange the plums cut side up securely in the batter.

Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is honey brown and puffed around the plums, the edges start to come away from the sides, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 15 minutes to rest and then unmold the cake.

Once cool, you can eat and enjoy, dust with powdered sugar, and of course, enjoy alongside ice cream.

This cake will improve the next day as it will be even moister, although it takes self-control, this is my favorite time to have a piece.