Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

Plum Upside Down Cake

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We have a plum tree in our backyard.  I am not sure just what kind of plums they are, as they were planted by the previous owner of our home.  What I can tell you is that this plum tree is REALLY happy in our backyard, and for some reason, this year the birds didn’t get to the crop before I did.  My husband and I were planning a visit up to see my sister and her husband in Granite Bay over the 4th of July holiday, and I thought it might be a good opportunity to try a recipe for Plum Upside Down Cake I found in the June issue of Country Home magazine.  The recipe was easy, used a couple pounds of the three tons of plums I have, and looked and tasted fantastic.  You can see for yourself how pretty it looked on Andrea’s 4th of July table:

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Don’t you just want to take your finger and swipe up that little bit of dribbling plum juice?  Anyway, here is the recipe, and I do hope you will try it!

Plum Upside-Down Cake
8 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp water
3 cups sliced, pitted plums (about 1 lb.)
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup finely ground pecans or almonds (I used walnuts)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. finely shreeded orange peel
Place 3 tablespoons of the butter in a 7 x 11 inch baking pan.  Place pan in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or until butter is just melted.
Remove from oven; stir in brown sugar and water until combines.  Spread to an even layer in the pan.  Arrange plum slices atop brown sugar mixture in pan.  Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, pecans, granulated suagar, baking powder, and salt.  Add milk, remaining 5 tablespoons butter, eggs, and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined.  Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.  Stir in orange peel.  Spoon batter atop plum layer in prepared  pan.
Bake in the 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Loosen sides of cake from pan; invert onto a serving plate.  Cool about 45 minutes.  Serve warm.  Makes 12 servings.
~Country Home Magazine, June 2007

38 responses to “Plum Upside Down Cake”

  3. Nicole – when is tea time? I plan on being there! I haven’t had breakfast, so my keyboard is getting a tad bit wet right now……the comment about cleaning up the “dribbling plum juice” did me in! lol!
    Your photos are lovely – the quilt beneath the yummy-plummy goodness is gorgeous.
    Thank you for sharing the recipe, too!

  4. Nicole – when is tea time? I plan on being there! I haven’t had breakfast, so my keyboard is getting a tad bit wet right now……the comment about cleaning up the “dribbling plum juice” did me in! lol!
    Your photos are lovely – the quilt beneath the yummy-plummy goodness is gorgeous.
    Thank you for sharing the recipe, too!

  5. Mmmmm….the cake looks delicious…
    Thanks for the comment on my appliqué. What type of machine appliqué do you use?

  6. Mmmmm….the cake looks delicious…
    Thanks for the comment on my appliqué. What type of machine appliqué do you use?

  7. Gosh, if that tastes half as good as it looks, it’s a must make dessert. Too bad I’m the only one in my family that really likes “fruit” desserts. I sure don’t need to eat a whole cake myself!

  8. Gosh, if that tastes half as good as it looks, it’s a must make dessert. Too bad I’m the only one in my family that really likes “fruit” desserts. I sure don’t need to eat a whole cake myself!

  9. Mmmmm….the cake looks delicious…
    Thanks for the comment on my appliqué. What type of machine appliqué do you use?

  10. Mmmmm….the cake looks delicious…
    Thanks for the comment on my appliqué. What type of machine appliqué do you use?

  13. That looks so good! We have a small plum tree in our backyard and last year we had a small crop of plums – enough to make a few jars of jam. But this year I could make a cake!! Thanks for the recipe. I saved it.

  14. That looks so good! We have a small plum tree in our backyard and last year we had a small crop of plums – enough to make a few jars of jam. But this year I could make a cake!! Thanks for the recipe. I saved it.

  23. these plums look yummy the cake looks mouth watering but i cant have any i have an allergy to eggs boo hoo.

  24. these plums look yummy the cake looks mouth watering but i cant have any i have an allergy to eggs boo hoo.

  27. That plum cake looks so pretty but I must say I noticed the quilt on the table right away. Love it!! Is it an antique????

  28. That plum cake looks so pretty but I must say I noticed the quilt on the table right away. Love it!! Is it an antique????

  31. I just turned the first one out onto a plate, but yours looks prettier–I don’t have a plate that fits mine as well as yours does! I’m jealous! LOL! Anyway, I have another one in the oven. I didn’t have quite enough plums so I sliced some peaches to make up the difference. One’s coming to work tomorrow; one’s staying here. (Reminds me of “This little piggie went to market . . . .” Sadly, in more ways than one!) Thanks for the recipe!

  32. I just turned the first one out onto a plate, but yours looks prettier–I don’t have a plate that fits mine as well as yours does! I’m jealous! LOL! Anyway, I have another one in the oven. I didn’t have quite enough plums so I sliced some peaches to make up the difference. One’s coming to work tomorrow; one’s staying here. (Reminds me of “This little piggie went to market . . . .” Sadly, in more ways than one!) Thanks for the recipe!