Crunchy-Topped Whole-Wheat Plum Cake

When blue-black prune plums come into season in the fall, this cake must be made. The recipe was created by the reporter Marian Burros well before The New York Times went digital; each fall, she would grumble about having to print it, by popular demand, once again. It is absurdly simple (just plum halves nestled into batter), but somehow the liveliness of fruit, sugar, and spice on top of plain cake brings out the best of both worlds. In 2010, the recipe got an update with whole-grain flour that works well with the red and black plums of summer. You can also make it with cherries and peaches.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to grease pan
• 1 ½ pounds plums, preferably several varieties, pitted and sliced
• 1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• ½ tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
• Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

    312 calories; 13 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 28 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 55 milligrams cholesterol; 232 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
  Powered by DiningAndCooking.com

8 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. Place the plum slices in a bowl and gently toss with 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining whole-wheat flour with the baking powder and kosher salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together 1/2 cup butter, sugar, Cognac or brandy and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until thoroughly combined.
4. Add half the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Pour in the milk and continue beating, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined.
5. Scrape the dough into the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Scatter on the plums in an even layer. Sprinkle the Demerara sugar on top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving, with whipped cream if you like.

50 minutes