Dimply plum cake

Last night kicked off our 'Office parties' -- where we gather with friends to eat yummy food, chat and (hopefully) laugh at our favorite sitcoms (Community, 30 Rock, The Office). We all brought Thai takeout to share and got to sample different curries and pad Thai and other delicious dishes.

On my way to pick up our takeout from Thai Orchid on Barbur, I stopped by my favorite farm stand at Kruse Way and Carmen Drive in Lake Oswego. I bought a couple tomatoes and a bag of giant plums. I'd been wanting to try a recipe I spotted on Smitten Kitchen and thought this was a perfect excuse.

I got home with an hour until we had to leave for Newberg, and that turned out to be just enough time to whip up a dimply plum cake:

1 1/2 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
Scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I left this out)
5 T butter
3/4 c packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c canola oil
zest from 1 orange
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
8 plums (because mine were so big, I used 4.5), halved and pitted

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon (if using).

Beat the butter (I nuked mine first) on medium speed until it’s soft and creamy. Beat in the sugar then add the eggs one at a time. Beat in the oil, zest and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Arrange the plums cut side up in the batter, pressing down a bit.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is honey brown and puffed around the plums and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold the cake. Invert and cool right side up.

Once cool, dust with powdered sugar to make it extra pretty. (Because I left home before it was cool, I skipped this beautifying step)

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This cake came together very quickly and easily. AMAZINGLY, I don't think I screwed up anything - even though I was rushing to beat my deadline!

Because I was transporting the dessert and didn't really have an appropriate platter, I did not unmold it. The cake was gooey and very good. My testers said it tasted like fall. Perfect :)