As the seasons shift: Maple Sugar Plum Cake

Hello and hello! The weather seems to have officially turned, we'll turn our clocks backwards tonight, and I'm finally, officially, enthusiastically ready to turn on my oven.



I am not sure if plums are still available this year - I saw them at the market in Toronto, where I got to enjoy a minibreak last weekend, but at our go-to grocery stores in Minneapolis, they've been replaced with pears and pumpkins at this point. But this is such a great recipe. I don't want to forget to share and if I wait until next August, I'll never get to it. So if plums are no longer purpling your grocery store's produce department, bookmark this webpage for next year. I made it twice in two weeks in August because once wasn't enough.




And, yes, I admit the maple sugar is pricey. I think it's worth the splurge if you can swing it. It adds depth and a malty-fallness to this recipe, and perfectly compliments the tart plums as they slow-cook into jammy puddles that will ooze in each bite. I bought maple sugar in bulk at the Wedge co-op on Franklin and Lyndale in Minneapolis. I think you could find it in most big grocery stores or even medium specialty stores; and of course it's readily available online.

Wishing you just enough comfort to keep you grateful, as the days shorten and we trend indoors.




Maple Sugar Plum Cake
Adapted from Once Upon a Chef

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (½ cup) butter, softened
3/4 cup maple sugar (note: if you are using an egg instead of applesauce, use 1 cup maple sugar)
1/4 cup applesauce (or 1 egg - see maple sugar note)
½ cup milk of choice
2 tablespoons regular sugar (or demerara or turbinado)
About a pound of plums: either 6 small plums, pitted and halved; or 3 large plums, pitted and quartered

Grease an 8-inch square pan with butter or shortening. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter and maple sugar on low speed at first, then on medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Add half the flour mixture and mix on low until streaks are gone. Add half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and mix are incorporated with no floury streaks or milk puddles.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place each of your twelve plum segments on top of the batter, skin-side up. Press them into the cake gently, then sprinkle the whole top of the cake with the sugar. (I used cinnamon sugar one of the two times - it did not appreciably enhance the cake, but worked just fine if you happen to have it).

Bake for about an hour. Check for doneness with the tip of a knife - you don't want uncooked batter, but you do want sticky plum jam. Cook 5-10 more minutes, if needed. Once baked, allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before diving in.