Plum Streusel Cake
My mother, Irma, was a great cook. She never used recipes and it was always a challenge to document what was going on in her kitchen. I had pencil, paper and measuring cups handy and would measure or weigh ingredients after she pulled everything together. This was one of her most popular cakes, like a coffee cake that works for morning coffee, but also like a crumble to serve with afternoon coffee and great with a scoop of ice cream for an after-dinner dessert.
PLUM STREUSEL CAKE
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ vanilla bean
1¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup plain yogurt
6 Large purple plums
Juice of ½ lemon
Streusel Topping
¾ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
Purchased ice cream or whipped cream for serving
Instructions:
1. Prepare Cake Pan
Butter and flour a 13 x 9 x 2 inch glass-baking dish.
2. Prepare Cake Batter
Cover vanilla bean with hot water for a few minutes to plump.
Beat butter until creamed, gradually add sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape inside of bean. Add vanilla bean scrapings to batter.
In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
Alternately, add flour mixture and yogurt to creamed butter. Stir in lemon juice. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Prepare fruit and arrange on top of cake batter
Wash and pit plums. Cut in half and then into 4 quarters.
Arrange fruit on top of batter in neat rows.
4. Prepare and Add Streusel Topping
With fork or pastry cutter, combine flour, sugar and butter until crumbly.
5. Bake Streusel Cake
Bake in preheated 350o oven for 40-45 minutes until streusel topping is nicely browned and apples (or plums) are tender.