PLUM UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

We’re spoiled for choice here for local fresh fruit in these late summer weeks.  Figs, peaches, apricots—and plums.  An upside down cake has to be the most versatile dessert imagined—-fruit, butter, sugar, and enough batter for a pie plate or one layer cake pan.  Concentrate on the fruit and save a little time–  use half a box of good-quality yellow cake mix.  Voila!  You’ve got dessert.

• 4-5 ripe, or nearly ripe plums
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 4 tblsp butter
• 4-5 tblsp dark brown sugar
• ½ box yellow cake mix, or cake batter for a single layer pan

Wash plums, peel if desired, and cut in half—remove pits and slice.  If pits don’t come out easily, cut slices away from pit,  top to bottom of plum.  Put slices in shallow skillet with 1/3  cup sugar and a little water.  Stir carefully and simmer for 4-5 minutes.  Prepare batter, either home-made or mix—if using ½ box of mix, use two eggs and half the oil and water in instructions.  Put ½ stick of butter to melt in pie plate or cake tin—set in oven at 350’.  When butter has melted, remove from oven, brush a little of the butter up the sides of the pan,  and mix in 4-5 tblsp dark brown sugar.  Spread the plum slices and pan sauce evenly on butter/sugar mixture.  Then pour cake batter evenly over fruit.  Bake 25-35 minutes—until top is browned and toothpick in center of cake comes out clean.  Cool on rack for 15 minutes.  Invert large plate on top of pan and quickly flip over.  Cake should loosen—but if some fruit sticks to pan just replace it on cake.  Enjoy!

The Kitchen Hive