Petite Whole Wheat Plum Cakes … getting stoned this summer

“What is more mortifying than to feel that you have missed the plum for want of courage to shake the tree?”
Logan Pearsall Smith

Petite Whole Wheat Plum Cakes … some desserts are so homey and comforting that they hit the right spot. These little cakes fell straight into that category. Simple, earthy, flavourful and above all whole grain. Nothing spectacular to look at, so I didn’t take many photographs. I didn’t have the time too. A few clicks and we all dived in!

Dorie Greenspans Baking With Julia that sweet Suma gifted me is a book I often leaf through. For inspiration, for entertainment, for sheer reading pleasure, the book works every time. There were some oven roasted plum cakes that have inspired mine.

It isn’t easy to hide my love for stone fruits every summer. Peaches, plums, mangoes, cherries … they charm, then entice, they leap off the shelves at the bazaar, they beg me to take them home. We chomp a few, then toss plenty into smoothies. Summer also means fro yo to tease our palettes, and fruit salads that play with our senses. All light & refreshing!!

Abundance of fresh seasonal produce makes summer more than worthwhile. So much so that just turning the oven on in this blistering heat to see stone fruit juices bubble over is a delight. A virtual treat. I often wait with bated breath for ‘the moment’. The juices ooze over and run down the sides. Baking nirvana. Small things, immense pleasure!

These petite whole wheat plum cakes turned out to be hidden gems. Quite unassuming in appearance, yet packed with flavour and texture, the lad immediately asked if he could have another!

A drizzle of low-fat unsweetened cream added to the deliciousness. Alternatively, you could always try some vanilla ice cream or custard on the side. 

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Summary: Petite Whole Wheat Plum Cakes … some desserts are so homey and comforting that they hit the right spot. These little cakes fell straight into that category. Simple, earthy, flavourful and above all whole grain. Nothing spectacular to look at yet very delicious! Adapted from Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:

• 100g butter, room temperature,
• 100g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4-5 drops almond extract
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 50g almond meal
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 50ml buttermilk
• 5-6 plums, halved
• Low fat cream or ice cream to serve

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 190C. Lightly grease  10-12 individual muffin tins, or ramekins.
2. Beat butter and brown sugar until light and mousse like.
3. Add eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat again.
4. On low-speed add both flours and baking soda and mix.
5. Fold in the buttermilk.
6. Divide batter between prepared tins. Top each with half a pitted plum, cut side up.
7. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 190C for about 35 minutes / until done.
8. Leave to cool in tins.
9. Loosen edges with a butter knife and turn out on serving platter. Serve with a drizzle of low at cream or vanilla ice cream.

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Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India