Plum Cake

This is a perfect fall dessert. It was wonderful warm and the next day was even better. Adapted from a Smitten Kitchen recipe.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder ()
Large pinch of salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1 to 2 tablespoon (depending on sweetness of plums)
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
4-5 purple plums – depending on size, halved and pitted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon or tablespoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°F. Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar together with an electric mixer until fluffy and light in color. Add the eggs, one at a time and scraping down the bowl, then the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. 

Spoon batter into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan (but if you’re worried, you can always lightly coat it first with butter or a nonstick spray) and smooth the top. Arrange the plums, skin side up, all over the batter, covering it. Sprinkle the top with lemon juice, then cinnamon, then remaining sugar. 

Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into a center part of the cake comes out free of batter (but of course not plum juice), about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on rack.