Italian prunes for rustic plum cake recipe

October 28, 3:23 PMDenver Cooking ExaminerRachel Ruff

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Italian prune plums work well in an Austrian cake classic

Italian prune plums

The Austrians make a rustic plum cake, also known as Zwetschgenkuchen. Many recipes turn out dry, but I learned from Cook’s Illustrated magazine’s most recent fall issue that the secret to making a luscious plum cake is in the prune. Italian prunes are hard to find but recently I made a discovery at the Cherry Creek farmer’s market and had no idea what to do with the Italian prunes until I tried a recipe from Cook’s Illustrated latest “Fall Entertaining” magazine.

But since the markets are closing and Italian prunes are out of season, here’s a way to make their plum cake during the winter using any plums that you find in the grocery.

The secret ingredients, according to Erika Bruce of “Cook’s Illustrated”, to bring out the sweetness of the prunes is by using red fruit jam and a shot of brandy to add a bite of tartness.

Cook’s Illustrated rustic plum cake recipe

2 tbs red currant or seedless raspberry jam
3 tbs brandy
1 lb of Italian prunes, halved and pitted(or equal weight of red or black plums cut into 1/8ths)
¾ cup AP flour, unbleached
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup slivered almonds
½ tsp bkg powder
¼ tsp table salt
¾ stick unsalted butter, cut in 6 pieces, softened but still cool
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract

Cook jam and brandy in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until reduced to thick syrup, 2-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and place plums in cut side down into syrup. Return to skillet and cook on medium until plums lose their juices and a thick syrup returns. Cool plums in pan, about 20 minutes.

Position oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9-inch springform pan. Process sugar and almonds in food processor until nuts are finely ground, about 1 minute. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mix resembles coarse sand, about ten one second pulses. Add eggs vanilla, and almond extract. Process until smooth, about 5 seconds. Batter will be very thick.

Transfer batter to prepared pan; spread batter evenly using a spatula spreading to the edges. Stir plums to coat with syrup. Arrange plum halves skin side down, evenly over the batter surface. Bake until cake is golden brown nd wooden skewer insterted into center comes out with few crumbs; about 40 to 50 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Cool in pan on wire rack until just warm or room temperature. * Cake can be wrapped in pan and kept at room temperature until next day. Dust with confectioners sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.