PAULA DEEN’S BEST CAKES & PIES 401 cup sliced almonds
4 cups all-purpose fl our
3¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups butter, softened
1 cup whole buttermilk
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups diced peeled fresh plums,
peels reserved
¼ cup water
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
Garnish: sliced plums, fresh mint
- Preheat oven to 325°. Butter and fl our
a 10-inch tube pan. - Sprinkle almonds in bottom of
prepared pan. - In a large bowl, whisk together fl our,
3 cups granulated sugar, and baking
powder. Add butter, buttermilk, eggs,
and vanilla, and beat with a mixer at low
speed until combined, about 1 minute.
Scrape sides of bowl. Increase mixer
speed to medium, and beat for
2 minutes; fold in plums. Spread batter
into prepared pan.- Bake until a wooden pick inserted
near center comes out clean, 90 to
95 minutes. Let cool in pan for
20 minutes. Remove from pan, and let
cool completely on a wire rack. - In a small saucepan, bring reserved
plum peels, ¼ cup water, and remaining
¼ cup granulated sugar to a boil over
medium heat, stirring constantly, until
sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat,
and let cool completely. Strain liquid
into a small bowl, discarding peel. - In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup
plum liquid and confectioners’ sugar
until smooth; spoon glaze onto cooled
cake. Garnish with plums and mint, if
desired.
Plum Pound Cake
Makes 1 (10-inch) cake- Bakinğ TiǙ -
Using the plum peel in the glaze
tints it a pretty shade of pink.