Plum Coffee Cake

 

A member of the family who owns the nursery where I work has a fantastic vegetable garden and he brings wonderful things (corn!) in to share with employees. It is the time of year for these delicious plums and he has presented us with two boxes full during the past two weeks. A customer and I were discussing them and she shared a recipe with me for a Plum Coffee Cake. It is wonderful and I would think that you could substitute apples, peaches or just about any fruit if you don't have plums.

Cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened)

2 large eggs

8-10 plums (about 1 lb.), pitted and sliced

Streusel Topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened)

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper. Spray or butter the paper and the sides of the pan.

 

Whisk together the flour and the baking powder in a mixing bowl.

On low speed, add the sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest. Beat for 2 minutes until well combined.

The batter will be sticky. Carefully spread it over the bottom of the springform pan. (I find that coating a spatula with cooking spray helps).

Arrange the sliced plums over the dough in a spiral pattern. Set aside.

 

 

Make the streusel topping:

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter and beat until it becomes crumbly.

Spread the topping evenly over the plums.

 

 

Bake for 45-50 minutes. If the top hasn't browned, turn the oven to the broiler setting for 5 more minutes.

After removing from the oven, let it sit on a wire rack for 15 minutes before running a knife around the perimeter of the pan and releasing the sides. Cool completely.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy