Plum Upside Down Cake

This turned out great. I loved the way the tart skin of the plums offset the mild sweetness of the cake. This is the recipe I used, but any pineapple upside-down cake recipe would work. Just pit and halve the plums and place them cut side down on the butter/brown sugar mixture. If you use peaches, pit and slice them and arrange the slices prettily in the bottom of the pan. We served this with vanilla ice cream.

Plum Upside-Down Cake

For the topping
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
8-10 ripe red plums

For the cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup milk

whipped cream or vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment

Make the topping:
In a small bowl stir together well the butter and the brown sugar and spread the mixture evenly in a well-buttered 9- by 2-inch round cake pan. Arrange fruit evenly on the sugar mixture.

Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the cinnamon. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately in batches with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly, and bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge, and invert the cake onto a plate.

Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream or ice cream.

(Gourmet, April 1993 Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe)