Plum Buckle Food

PLUM BUCKLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Place the plums into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. In a large bowl, mash together 2/3 cup butter with 1 1/2 cup of white sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in 3 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter over the plums. Mix 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of flour, and cinnamon together in a bowl to make a crumbly topping; spread over the batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

PLUM BUCKLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and coat the paper too.
• Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cardamom (and/or cinnamon) and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until light and fluffy. Add oil and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Arrange plums, slightly overlapping, on top, pressing gently to partially submerge them in the batter. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top.
• Bake the cake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes.
• Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen it and transfer the cake to a serving plate.

ALMOND-PLUM BUCKLE

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round.
• Finely grind almonds in processor. Transfer to medium bowl; whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add 1 cup sugar; beat until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract, then flour mixture just until incorporated.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan; spread evenly and smooth top with spatula. Gently press plum slices, flesh side down, into batter in spoke pattern around outer rim and center of cake, placing close together. Mix cinnamon and 4 teaspoons sugar in small bowl. Sprinkle over plums.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Run small knife between cake and pan sides to loosen. Invert cake onto platter; remove parchment paper. Place another platter atop cake. Using both hands, hold both platters firmly together and invert cake, plum side up. Cool cake completely. Cut into wedges.

PLUM BUCKLE WITH PECAN TOPPING

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
• For the topping:
• Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, and salt together until ingredients come together but some pea-size pieces remain. Stir in pecans, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the batter:
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly combined; set aside.
• Whisk together milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl until evenly combined; set aside.
• Combine sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, letting the first completely incorporate before adding the second.
• Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Pour in 1/2 of the milk mixture and mix on low until just incorporated.
• Repeat, alternately adding dry and wet ingredients and ending with dry ingredients, until completely incorporated.
• Remove bowl from mixer, fold plums in until coated and evenly distributed, and turn into prepared baking dish.
• Sprinkle topping evenly over batter and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

PLUM-NECTARINE BUCKLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square cake pan or 10-inch cast iron skillet with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside. Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, allspice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Whisk together egg, milk, vanilla, and remaining 4 tablespoons butter in another medium bowl. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir to combine. Spread batter evenly into buttered pan.
• Toss plums, nectarines, lemon juice, remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Spread fruit mixture evenly over batter. Sprinkle with topping. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 1 hour before serving.