by JSCooks
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1 1/2 cup
unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
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1 teaspoon
baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon
baking soda
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8
medium-size fresh lemon verbena leaves or 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
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1/2 cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
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2/3 cups
granulated sugar
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2
large eggs, at room temperature
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3/4 cups
sour cream, at room temperature
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1/2 teaspoon
pure vanilla extract
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2 tablespoons
firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
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12
small to medium, firm-ripe prune plums, halved lengthwise and pitted
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Lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with a rack in the lower third. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
Ask the hotline about this step!Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside. Stack the lemon verbena leaves (if using), roll up tightly lengthwise, and cut them crosswise into fine ribbons. You will want 2 to 3 packed teaspoons.
Ask the hotline about this step!In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer), beat together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and reserved lemon verbena (or lemon zest) until well combined. On low speed, add the flour mixture just until combined. (The batter will be thick.)
Ask the hotline about this step!Spread half of the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and top with 12 of the plum halves, cut side down. Dollop and spread the remaining batter over the plums. Arrange the remaining 12 plum halves, cut side up, over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar over the plums.
Ask the hotline about this step!Bake until the cake is golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean (assuming you haven’t hit a plum), 50 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan front to back a little past halfway through baking. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
Ask the hotline about this step!Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake sides. Invert a flat plate over the pan. Using oven mitts if needed, grasp the plate and pan tightly together on both sides and invert the plate and pan to release the cake onto the plate. Lift off the pan and peel off the parchment. Invert the cake again onto a serving plate.
Ask the hotline about this step!Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream, if desired.
Ask the hotline about this step!Great recipe. Baked one of these up for a birthday potluck and it was perfect.
We made this for lunch today and added a couple of tablespoons of minced crystallized ginger. It made an amazing cake just that little bit more so. Thank you, this is so lovely.
delicious!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much, whmcdevitt! I am delighted to see people enjoying this before the last of the plums run their course. Last time I made it I used Kadota figs in the middle and prune plums on top and it was lovely.
JS Cooks, your cake was fabulous! I made it with the lemon zest and in a 9" springform and it tasted great. I have to say, I debated whether to make your cake or the Marion Burros plum torte once the prune plums showed up at the market. So, of course I had to make both! They were very different, but both very delicious. Your cake had more of a rich poundcake feel to it with a wonderful lemon flavor. I will be making both of these cakes many more times. Thank you.
I made this under the assumption we would have guests for dinner. Big mistake--our invitees couldn't make it and my husband and I were left all alone with this completely irresistable cake.
I did make some changes--I reduced the sugar to 1/2 c and I think I would reduce it by a couple more tablespoons next time. My go-to recipe for prune plums is the flame plum tart from the Pie and Pastry Bible, which is amazing and uses just 1/3 of a cup and a ton more plums, so I think 3/4 c is a lot for this cake--it was still really sweet.
Another tweak that I highly recommend is replacing 1/2 c of the flour with almond flour. It was delish and makes for a nice crumb (I reduced the butter by a tablespoon or so to account for the extra fat). I used lemon zest--I'm not sure how the almond flour would taste with verbena.
All in all, a highly recommended cake--it's nice to have another recipe to look forward to during flame/prune/Italian plum season!
Hi Umami -- I'm delighted you enjoyed the cake! At 2/3 cup (plus a little brown sugar for sprinkling) this cake has less sugar than most, but I have often made it with less sugar myself, as I tend to like my desserts gently sweet. Sugar plays a role greater than sweetness, but I often reduce it in recipes and rarely have a problem. The almond flour sounds interesting, too. I may have to try that!
I actually never baked before , but I saw picture of this plum cake and it reminded me of prum cakes in european coffeshops , so I couldnt resist trying it out . I had no expectations , but it turned out perfect ! My husband didnt believe I made it ! I served it warm with scoop of chocolate ice cream on top ! Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe - I followed it step by step , it was easy and tastes absolutely amazing ! Lana
Lana, I am so very flattered that you chose my cake for your very first baking experience. I'm delighted you and your husband enjoyed it. Please keep baking -- you're a natural! -Jennie
Just made your delicious plum cake. it really was a stunner. My hisband is extremely grateful and my house smells unbelievable. Thanks for sharing. There's a photo on my facebook page if you want to see the results. Honestly this cake could make anyone look like they're cooking in a magazine.
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I'm delighted you are enjoying the cake and its aroma. I just bought some prune plums yesterday and though I've spent most of this weekend cooking I am going to make a Late Summer Plum Cake, too!
Really enjoyed baking your delicious plum cake this afternoon. There's a photo of it here on my facebook page. Thanks for sharing.
Yes--I used a springform and would recommend one for this recipe over a regular 9-inch.
This was the first cake I've made with plums, and it was delicious! Since my plums were on the large size, I was afraid to use too many for fear that they would "weigh" the batter down. The cake, however, rose and poofed up just fine around the fruit, so next time I will add extras for even more juicy goodness.
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it, and better yet are planning a next time!
Hi Loves Pie - I'm delighted to hear that you are welcoming plums with this cake. I was just thinking it was time to make one. My LV is also going strong in the garden. I love to make lemon verbena ice cream, as well, and it would be a great combination with this. There's a recipe in (my book) Farmers' Market Desserts for Lemon Verbena Buttermilk Ice Cream that would be a perfect match -- tangy-herbal-sweet. Happy baking!
This recipe is lovely. My lemon verbena plant has done really well this summer and was calling out for something special. This cake, along with the lemon verbena ice cream I made to go with it, was a huge hit at last night's dinner. Thanks!
I make a lemon verbena buttermilk ice cream but have never tried it with the cake -- I'll have to put that on my list!
basically isn't this pretty much the same as Marion Burros Plum Torte save for the addition of sour cream and lemon verbena leaves? Also, how about using fruits other than plums, i.e., peaches? apples? Thanks.
Hi Dovidl123 -- a similar question came up over on the page with the video so I'll repeat what I said over there here. And sure, why not try it with peaches? Apples would have to be treated differently -- they wouldn't soften sufficiently or add enough juice to take the place of the plums. Possibly pears. Experiment and let us know!
The cake was inspired by a recipe I found on the website of Autumn Hills Orchard in Groton, Mass, while researching my book, Farmers' Market Desserts. I tracked that recipe back to Marian Burros' Plum Torte and its illustrious history of annual reprints in the NY Times. By the time I'd increased the flour, decreased the sugar, added the lemon verbena and eliminated the cinnamon, added sour cream and adjusted the baking soda, and layered the plums into the cake, I decided I'd gone so far afield that Ms. Burros' mightn't have wished her name associated with my cake. But indeed, that torte helped pave the way to this cake!
Making this fabulous cake for my second dinner party in one week. I used creme fraiche which I think is better suited to the cake than whipped cream. Two of my four guests on Sunday evening had three helpings of the cake! Cake is also quick and easy to make.
Thanks for a great, quick recipe. Used up our Zwetschgen, my daughters and sometimes-finicky husband gobbled it up. One of my daughers said that it looked just like the pix.
I made a gluten free version of this cake and it was delicious.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
For my gluten free instructions:
http://www.devilangelyogi.com/?p=75
Cool! Thanks for letting us all know. I'm glad it turned out well.
You can find a list of recipes from my latest book, Farmers' Market Desserts, for people with various food sensitivities here: http://jennieschacht.com/blog/2010/07/364/
Enjoy the tail end of those plums!
Do you think you can replace the fresh lemon verbena with dried (like the kind for tea)? Thank you!
Monkeymom -- I'm not sure how the dried herbs would do in this cake. I tend to think it would not work so well, but there is certainly no harm in trying! Otherwise, lemon zest works well, as other readers have said. Though I really, really like the herbal-lemony flavor of lemon verbena. It's worth growing a pot of it -- it's so versatile -- and you can always use it to make fresh lemon verbena tea!
Thanks for your response JSCooks! Everyone loved the cake and the touch of lemon was so nice. I'll look for lemon verbena plants as I really do love the tea!
I made three of these within a week's span. They were delicious. By the third time, my dad suggested I up the vanilla to one teaspoon to counter the tartness of the plums. We all liked his suggestion and enjoyed the added sweetness. I added lemon zest every time as I did not have access to verbena, and the results were great.
Hi Bevi -- you are a prolific baker -- I'm delighted you are enjoying the cake. So many things are a matter of personal taste and I am always happy to hear when people adjust recipes to their own liking. I'm glad the added vanilla worked for you. With lemon verbena, I would be afraid it might overpower the delicate flavor, but with lemon I can see how that might work. Keep on baking!
This is delicious! It's a great easy recipe that I will definitely be making again.
Wonderful -- I'm so glad to hear that! Love the spelling of your name, by the way -- mine (Jennie) with an added "n"! I'm sure you get as many misspellings and mispronunciations as I do!
This was the belle of the church dessert buffet on Sunday -- and there was more than just Jello molds competing for that elevated platform!
This is delicious.
I made this cake over the weekend, and it's just brilliant! I love the balance between tart and sweet. A really lovely recipe. Thanks!
Jamie, thank you so much for your kind words. Give yourself a pat on the back for choosing plums that worked nicely. It's an important part of the formula--and a fun wild card--as it will turn out slightly different each time, depending on the particular variety and crop of plums.
Will become one of two prune plum recipes I make each year!!!
I didn't get a chance to vote because I have been crazy at work, but this definitely a winning recipe! Gorgeous. Congrats!
Thanks to all of you who voted for my cake, and also for your congratulations -- what a fantastic bunch you are on Food52!! This is the first contest I have entered and I have felt very warmly welcomed to the Food52 community.
Congratulations! I can't wait to make this. Have you ever made a GF substitution for the all-purpose flour?
I have not made a GF version of this cake, and I'm afraid it's not my area of greatest expertise. However, on my blog, I do have a list of recipes in Farmers' Market Desserts suitable for various ingredient restrictions. Check it out at www.jennieschacht.com/blog. If you come up with a GF version of this one, I would love for you to post it there!
Congratulations
Congratulations JSCooks!!!
Congrats JSCooks!
Congratulations on a winning recipe!
Why not! I would cut them into slices, around 3 per quarter (depending on the size), and arrange them in rings, one in the middle and another on top. I think it would be lovely. Use nice ripe (but not overripe) nectarines. Please do report back!
Excellent recipe Congrats wonderful!
I think I gained weight just looking at the picture and reading the recipe!
It's a pretty healthy cake. Not overly sweet. And you can make it with nonfat Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream -- comes out really well.
This is just what you want in a plum cake - a delicious cake that pairs well with the tart plums. Very good! I've got to get some lemon verbena for the next time I bake this.
Thanks so much. Unfortunately, lemon verbena isn't easy to find in a market or store, but fortunately, it is very easy to grow. At least that has been my experience in Oakland, CA. Every time I cut it down, it springs right back.
This looks great!! Mrs. Wheelbarrow gave me a lemon verbena plant so I will give this a go with its leaves.
Cheese1227, you will love the lemony-herbal perfume of lemon verbena with the plums, and the flecks of green in the cake are beautiful. It's terrific with lemon zest, too -- no sense that anything is missing -- but the LV really hits this cake out of the park. You will also love the Lemon Verbena Buttermilk Ice Cream with Berry Sauce in my book, Farmers' Market Desserts. Enjoy your new plant!!
Congrats to you!
Congratulations on being a finalist...this looks delicious but it was your soup that I found irresistible !!!
Oh, thank you so much dymnyno! I truly love that soup, and when I'm loaded down with plums I never know which to make first. (And then there's also the Plum Tarte Tatin in my book, Farmers' Market Desserts!) Please do try the soup, and this cake, too, if you are enjoying plums as much as I am this summer.
Congratulations on being a finalist - your cake looks delicious!
Thanks, Lizthechef! Give it a try -- it's an easy one to make -- especially with the help of A&M's beautiful slide show!
I hope to make try this shortly, I love sour cream cakes with fruit, and such a lovely photo. Reminds me of a Kuchen, in the German tradition of my Milwaukee Grandmother. Thank you!
Thanks, AppleAnnie. My inlaws are in Milwaukee! I just made this for our brunch guests this morning. I had no sour cream in the house so used nonfat (Straus organic -- yum!) yogurt and it was equally moist and full of flavor. Was hoping for a slice remaining for tomorrow, but alas...
Chef Michael Kiss is the Cooking Coach at Whole Foods Market in Rockville, Md.
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We used Italian prune plums but you should use whatever kind you like.
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This plum got a gold star for the day, for willingly releasing its pit!
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Creaming the butter and sugar, a task we never tire of.
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We are serious students. Occasionally.
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Once the butter and sugar are creamed, it's time for the eggs.
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Next, some sour cream.
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Vanilla and lemon zest for aroma.
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Then the dry ingredients -- flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt -- mixed just until the mixture clumps like this. We finished mixing it by hand -- folding the batter together until it was smooth.
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After spreading half the batter into the prepared pan, Merrill sprinkled the top with brown sugar.
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Next the fun part! Please note that Amanda added too many plums here. She later rearranged, but it looked messy and we don't like messy photos!
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We spread the rest of the batter on top.
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Added some more plums, this time cut-side-up -- you'll see why in a second.
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One last showering of brown sugar.
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Then the oven produces this little gem.
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To get the cake out of the pan, Amanda set up a "pedestal."
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She set the cake on top, pulled down the sides of the pan.
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Eh, voila.
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We're eying up the piece at 4 o'clock.
This was terrific. Would be good even without fruit!