Skillet Plum Cake (Upside Down Plum Cake)

Skillet Plum Cake (Upside Down Plum Cake)

I came across this recipe recently, while looking for a pie recipe. Plums are "okay", but I generally don't seek them out (fresh or in a dessert). So, I was surprised that I wanted to make this. And, I am glad I made it. There were a few steps, but this turned out pretty good. Moist and tasty! I would definitely make this again and in fact plan to for an upcoming potluck. The recipe is in the Woman's Day Old-Fashioned Cookbook, published in 

Ingredients:

7 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 pound plums (the original recipe says prune plums or small blue plums) (I used about 6 plums)

1 cup sugar

5 tablespoons hot water

1 cup sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 egg whites

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon lemon extract

whipped cream for serving (optional)

ice cream for serving (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter on low in a 10-inch heavy skillet (I used cast iron) or other baking pan about the same size. Remove from heat and evenly sprinkle the brown sugar in the skillet. Wash the plums, cut them in half and remove the pits. Place plum halves upside down into the butter/brown sugar mixture. Set the skillet aside. In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks with lemon extract until thick and lemon-colored. Slowly beat in the sugar and then the hot water. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and slowly blend into the egg yolk mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Pour batter evenly over the plums and butter/sugar mixture. 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cake tests done with a clean knife or toothpick. Remove cake from oven and place a flat serving plate on top and immediately flip both upside. This may be a little tricky as you are both holding a hot skillet and trying to hold a plate to the skillet. Let rest for a few minutes until hopefully, all the sugar mixture adheres to the cake and not the pan. Gently shake the skillet to test this, before gently lifting the skillet off the cake. 

Serve warm, plain or topped with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream. This would be a lovely dessert with coffee or tea. I took the cake to work to share and had my first piece on a napkin without any ice cream/whipped cream. 

Plum Skillet Cake

Plum Skillet Cake