Almond and Plum Cake

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Equipment:

Stand or hand held mixer

Paddle attachment

Spatula

Small offset spatula

9” tart shell with a removable bottom brushed with pan spread or melted butter

Skewer or cake tester .

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Ingredients

  • 4 ounces (114g) unsalted butter
  • 5 ounces (142g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 ounces (57g) sour cream or yogurt
  • 4 ounces (114g) AP flour
  • 2 ounces Almond meal – blanched or unblanched
  • 2 ounces (57g) Sour cream
  • 1 1/2 ounces (41g) sliced almonds
  • 3-4 ripe plums – cut into thick slices***Nectarines, peaches, apricots, figs and blueberries can also be used.

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the butter, sugar , vanilla and almond extracts in the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. If using a hand held mixer use the standard beaters.

Cream the mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy about 8 minutes. Make sure to stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl, once or twice.

4. In the meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the almond meal into the flour mixture.

5. Add the eggs one at a time starting on low speed for 20 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 25 more seconds. Add the second egg, mix for 20 seconds on low and 25 seconds on medium.

6. Alternate adding the flour and sour cream. The flour should be added in 3 increments and the sour cream in two. Mix each increment into the batter only until combined on low speed.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Smooth it into the sides of the pan. (An offset spatula works great for this.)

8. Fan the plums on top of the batter leaving space in between.

9. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake at 350. Check at 25 minutes. It will take longer but this is a good point to look at it and make sure all is well. Mine was done in 35 minutes in my Wolf Counter top oven.

Garnish: I brushed the top of the cake with warmed up apricot jam but a dusting of powdered sugar would also work nicely.

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