BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
September in Denver doesn’t necessarily promise cooler temps, but Fall is definitely hinted at in the afternoon light. We love this simple cake because it works with a fruit that is still in its prime. You don’t need fancy equipment or hours in the kitchen, just a bowl, a spoon, and a handful of ripe plums. As it bakes, your whole house will smell like late summer, and the first slice is the perfect excuse to slow down and savor the last moments of the season. This is adapted from Food52. And by “adapted” it means we use salted butter instead of unsalted, because that’s what we do in this house. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoon firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
12 small to medium, firm-ripe prune plums, halved lengthwise and pitted
Lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 350°F, with a rack in the lower third. Butter a 9×2-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside. Stack the lemon verbena leaves (if using), roll up tightly lengthwise, and cut them crosswise into fine ribbons. You will want 2 to 3 packed teaspoons.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer), beat together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and reserved lemon verbena (or lemon zest) until well combined. On low speed, add the flour mixture just until combined. (The batter will be thick.)
Spread half of the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and top with 12 of the plum halves, cut side down. Dollop and spread the remaining batter over the plums. Arrange the remaining 12 plum halves, cut side up, over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar over the plums.
Bake until the cake is golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (assuming you haven’t hit a plum), 50 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan front to back a little past halfway through baking. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake sides. Invert a flat plate over the pan. Using oven mitts if needed, grasp the plate and pan tightly together on both sides and invert the plate and pan to release the cake onto the plate. Lift off the pan and peel off the parchment. Invert the cake again onto a serving plate.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream, or ice cream if desired.