Chocolate Plum Cake Food

CHOCOLATE PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and sides of springform pan and line bottom with parchment.
• Purée plums in a blender until very smooth (you need 1 1/2 cups; reserve any additional purée for another use). If plums are not ripe enough to form a very smooth purée, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Combine chocolate and 3/4 cup butter in a large heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from saucepan. Stir plum purée into chocolate mixture until well combined.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs and sugar in another large bowl until pale and tripled in volume, 10-12 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold about 1/3 of the egg mixture into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture until combined.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, then fold dry ingredients into chocolate mixture until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth surface. Bake cake until center is set and sides are beginning to brown, 45-55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool completely in pan (cake will sink a little in the center as it cools).
• Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Unmold cake (run a knife around the edge to help release, if needed) and transfer to a platter. Mound whipped cream in center of cake, then dust with cocoa powder.

PLUM, HAZELNUT & CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line the base of a round 20cm cake tin. Halve and stone 4 plums, set aside for later, then roughly chop the remaining plums.
• Put the sugar, butter, flour, ground hazelnuts, eggs and baking powder into a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer for 1-2 mins, until smooth and light. Stir in the chopped plums and chocolate, then tip into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top.
• Arrange the halved plums over the top of the mixture, pressing them down lightly, then scatter over hazelnuts. Bake for 40-50 mins until the top is golden and the cake feels firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out, remove the paper and cool on a wire rack. Heat the jelly, then brush over the top of the cake before serving.

GINGERY PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 23cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Butter the paper generously and sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Halve the plums and arrange in the base of the tin in 1 layer, cut-sides down.
• For the cake, melt the butter, muscovado sugar and syrup in a large pan over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool for 10 mins, then stir in the eggs and milk. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then mix to a smooth batter.
• Pour the batter into the tin, over the plums, and bake for 45-55 mins until firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Will keep in the fridge, wrapped in baking parchment and foil, for up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE PLUM PUDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place raisins in a small saucepan, and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan.
• Sift together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs, then the applesauce. Beat in the flour mixture. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spread batter evenly into prepared tube pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely; chill.

PLUM CRUMBLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 22cm deep, round cake tin (preferably with a loose bottom) with baking parchment.
• First make the topping: put all the crumble ingredients in a bowl and rub together until crumbly.
• For the cake, put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla, ground almonds and soured cream in a big bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until smooth, then tip into the tin and level the top. Arrange the plums, cut-side up, over the mix, then scatter over the crumble.
• Bake for 50 mins-1 hr on a middle shelf until a skewer poked into the cake mixture comes out clean (plums will remain sticky, however). Cool in the tin for 20 mins, then finish cooling on a wire rack. Serve plain or with soured cream or yogurt. Keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight cake tin.

CHOCOLATE PLUM PUDDING CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar.
• Beat in eggs, then applesauce.
• In another bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, salt, spices, and cocoa.
• Beat into applesauce mixture and then stir in raisins and walnuts.
• Turn batter into greased and floured tube pan.
• Bake cake in a 350 F oven for 1 hour and 2 minutes, or until cake tests done with a toothpick.
• Let cool on a rack and then chill.
• When serving dust with powdered sugar.

OVEN-ROASTED PLUM CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Butter 8 ramekins and place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Combine the sugar and orange zest well.
• Cream the butter, 2 T of brown sugar, and the granulated sugar mixture for 6 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Add the vanilla and mix well.
• Add the flour and baking soda and beat on low speed for only 15 seconds.
• Pour in the buttermilk and beat for 30 seconds more.
• Remove from mixer and use a spatula to finish blending the ingredients if necessary.
• Place a half plum, cut side up, into each cup.
• Spoon the batter into the ramekins, dividing the batter among them evenly.
• Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar evenly over each plum.
• Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean.
• Cool the cakes 10 minutes.
• To serve, top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

GLAZED PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 23cm springform tin, line base with greaseproof paper and butter the paper. Halve, stone and slice the plums.
• Beat butter and sugar (minus the extra tbsp) until pale. Beat in eggs, then zest. With mixer on low, beat in flour and milk. Stir in almonds and spoon into the tin.
• Lay the plum slices on top of the batter, overlapping them in circles. Sprinkle with the extra sugar and bake for 55 mins-1 hr. Let it cool in the tin for 15 mins.
• Remove cake from tin and stand on a rack. In a small pan, melt the redcurrant jelly with cassis and 2 tbsp water until reduced to a syrupy glaze, about 5 mins.
• Brush the melted jelly all over the cake. It will seem like a lot, but a thick glaze looks good. Leave to set before serving (best eaten within 2 days).