Plum Cake With Brandy Cream Filling Food

PLUM CAKE WITH BRANDY CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300*F. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and flour and set aside.
• In another larger bowl, beat the eggs until pale coloured, then add the peanut oil and buttermilk. Mix in the dried plums and nuts.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, mixing well.
• Pour the batter into a buttered 8 by 8 inch square baking pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool for an hour before filling.
• To make the brandy cream filling combine the cream, sugar, vanilla and gelatin in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is steamy and hot, but not boiling.
• In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks; pour the hot cream mixture over the yolks while whisking. Strain back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from the heat and add the brandy. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Whisk in the softened butter and chill. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Split the cake by cutting horizontally and fill with the chilled brandy cream. Return the cake to the fridge for at least an hour before serving. You can dust the top with icing sugar before serving if you wish.
• Note: to oven dry Italian plums, split them in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Place skin side down on a sheet of baking parchment or foil on a baking pan and place in a 200*F oven for 10 to 12 hours or overnight.

BRANDY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325ºF.
• Line 13x9-inch pan with parchment, with ends of parchment extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add 2-1/2 cups sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour until blended; pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 min. (Do not remove cake from pan.)
• Meanwhile, bring water, remaining sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon peel to boil in saucepan; simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or until reduced to 1 cup. Pour through strainer into measuring cup. Discard strained solids. Stir brandy into strained liquid.
• Use skewer to poke holes in warm cake at 1/2-inch intervals. Drizzle brandy mixture over cake. Let stand (in pan) 1 hour. Use parchment handles to remove cake from pan. Serve topped with COOL WHIP and fruit.

GERMAN PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar, vanilla, egg, lemon peel, sour cream and salt (if desired).
• Mix the flour and baking powder and add that into the mixture.
• Grease the base of a round baking pan and spread the dough over the pan.
• Liberally spread plums over the dough.
• To make the optional topping, cream the butter, add flour, sugar and cinnamon.
• Sprinkle over the plums and bake for 30-45 minutes in the middle rack at 375 F.
• Be careful not to let the bottom burn!
• Serve with lots of freshly-made whipped cream.
• If you like, you may also sprinkle rum or cinnamon over the fruit before baking.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN PLUM CAKE (ZWETSCHGENKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Sift flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Crumble yeast into well and mix it with 1 tablespoon of sugar, milk and some flour. This first yeast-mixture should be still fluid. Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes.
• Add remaining sugar, melted butter, egg and a good pinch of salt and mix with yeast mixture and flour. Knead with floured hands until dough is peeling away from the side of the bowl and blistering. This step may take 10 minutes (or more). Use some additional flour, if dough is too sticky. At the end you should have a smooth dough.
• Cover and let rise in warm place for about 25 to 30 minutes or until dough has doubled.
• Meanwhile prepare the plums. Cut lengthwise and pit them. Cut the still connected plum halves once again lengthwise, but do not cut through. You should have a depitted plum which you can easily flatten.
• Grease backing tray. Dough is calculated for a baking tray of 11 3/4 x 15 inches.
• Remove yeast dough from bowl, knead once or twice and roll out on baking tray using a floured rolling pin. Along the sides of the baking tray form a border with yeast dough.
• Place plums on yeast dough in closely rows and press slightly into dough. Let rise again for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven (425 F, 220 C).
• Bake the plum cake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile mix sugar and ground cinnamon for topping.
• Remove plum cake from oven and sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Cut into 20 pieces and serve warm or cold with whipped cream.
• NOTE on Baker's yeast: If possible use fresh baker's yeast. But you can replace it by 1 1/2 packages dry yeast.
• NOTE on Damson Plums: a traditional German Plum Cake is made with the slightly tart and not too juicy Damson Plums. You can also use other plum varieties, but the plums shouldn't be over-ripped or too juicy. I have tried it with other plum varieties and have reduced amount of sugar in topping.
• NOTE on traditional German Plum Cake: in my opinion this cake has to be made with yeast dough. It takes more time to make than other doughs, but it is worthwhile. Don't be afraid of the juices. This cake has to be juicy!
• There are existing several names for this type of frutit cake in Germany: Zwetschgenkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen and in Bavaria Zwetschgendatschi. Zwetschgen is the German name for Damson plums.

EASY PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch springform pan.
• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and beat well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and sift on top of the butter mixture. Mix to combine. Transfer batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth out.
• Set plums inside batter, cut-side up, and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven on the lowest rack until a skewer comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or cool to room temperature.

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.