Sweet Plum Buckle

By Hklbrries

Note: Firm, ripe apricots can be substituted for plums.



Bubbling sweet plums in a butter cake, often referred to as a buckle, is a tasty dessert treat to serve this holiday weekend and all summer long.

Look for ripe plums with your family at a roadside stand or at your local grocery store. While choosing the fruit, show your kids how to gently squeeze each one to find ripe choices. When you return home, wash the fruit and gather all the ingredients. While you wait for the butter to come to room temperature, your school-age child may grate the lemon peel, and another may grease and flour the pan while you slice the plums.

Donna Erickson

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (1/2 pound) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
• 1/3 cup milk
• 4 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) unpeeled ripe plums, pitted and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• For the topping:
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1: Mix together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Step 2: Beat the butter and sugar on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in grated lemon peel.

Step 3: Stir half the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add the milk, and gently stir in the remaining flour mixture just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the batter is smooth. Spoon into a buttered and floured 8-inch square baking pan. Let kids arrange the plum slices, slightly overlapping them in rows or concentric circles over the batter. Sprinkle topping over the slices.

Step 4: Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.