Deception in a cake: fresh plum cake

Ragazzi, it is the end of the season for our berries and stone fruit friends.  Time to say  "see you next year."  And sometimes, one may feel they have outworn their welcome.  For plums, for example, Annalena has been decidedly disappointed in what she has been buying:  rather than having a "plummy" flavor, they have been like little sacks of sugar water.  Indeed, the most recent bag she bought, spending nearly 10 bucks on it, was so insipid that she almost tossed it.

BUT... frugal girl that she is,  Annalena waited, and found a recipe in her beloved New York Times that saved the day.  Or, at least some of the remaining plums.  And it yet again establishes a basic principle of cookery:  cooking fruit will intensify its flavor.  You can see this very simply, by tasting apple sauce, and a fresh apple.  Both are wonderful.  One is stronger than the other.

Annalena also loves recipes like the one that follows because they are easy and because the good cook will see immediately how this recipe can be changed.  And indeed, Annalena wants you to use different fruit, different spices, different add ins, AND SHE WANTS YOU TO TELL HER ABOUT IT SO SHE CAN STEAL THE RECIPE.    After all, t here's a little thievery going on out there, too, isn't there?  Hmmmm?

Nah, all recipe sharing is just that: sharing.

So, onto the recipe, and why the word "deception?"  Well, there are two ingredients in this cake that spell "HEALTHY":  whole wheat flour and rolled oats.  Do not be deceived, amici.  Just like with oatmeal cookies, this is NOT good for you.  Moderation.  But enjoy it.  And make it because it makes so much, you will want to share it.

Cominiciamo.  This works so much better in a food processor, so here we go.    You put a cup of white flour and one of whole wheat  into that machine, together with two teaspoons of baking powder, and half of salt and a quarter cup (yes, just a quarter cup) of sugar.  Then you pulse it a few times.  Now, add six tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter to it, and pulse some more until you get a grainy texture. 

Stop for a minute while you get out a one cup mixing cup.  Add two eggs to that, and break them up.  Now add a couple teaspoons of vanilla extract.  Top it off with whole milk. Add the whole to your dry ingredients, and let the machine do its thing.  You will get something that looks like very thick pancake batter.

Get yourself a non metal, 9x13 inch baking dish, and grease it.  Pour out, or scoop out the batter, and spread it as well as you can.  You can wet your hands to do this.  It makes it easier.  When you have it about as well spread as you can, get some plums.  Cut them into wedges of whatever size you like, and press them down, skin side into the cake batter.  The pressing down will move the batter some more, too.  Next, put half a cup of rolled oats over the whole thing. Now, get a half cup of sugar, and mix it with a teaspoon of cinnamon and half a teaspoon of ground cardamom (unless you are Jeremy, the king of cardamom.  Then use a full teaspoon).  Sprinkle this over the fruit and cake and finally, get another six tablespoons of unsalted butter, and break it into little bits, all over everything.  

Do all of you see how you can change the fruit, and change the spices?  Do you see also that you might want to add candied ginger, or chocolate chips, or nuts, or dried cranberries, or raisins, to the batter?

Annalena knew you did!  You've learned well.  Now, put this into the oven, preheated to 425, and bake it for 20-25 minutes.

You will get a very dark, carmelized cake that frankly, may not look very attractive to you.

Taste it.  As my people say  "brutti ma buoni."  (ugly, but good).  And a 9x13 inch pan?   You're not going to eat all of that are you?  No, you're going to share it with AT LEAST 11  friends.  Or eat it over the course of six days with one of yours.  And so on, and so forth.

Really easy, wasn't it?  Annalena INSTRUCTS  you all to make something like it immediately.  And she wants to know.

Remember,  she's watching.....