plum de dum

   I'm not sure whether I'm creative in the kitchen or just plain old reckless. I always figure if I know what goes into it I'll eat it good or bad. Besides a whole foods approach to cooking I also love to bake, the normal way with butter, eggs and sugar. I usually need to find somewhere to send it since I can't really eat it and I've managed to come across some willing souls to suffer through my successes and failures.

   I just finished a batch of all kinds of chip and nuts stuff cookies that I gave my Mac guy who put a new hard drive in my iMac. I ruin things easily due to the mist from my inhaler destroying all other life in it's way. So I set my intentions on a tea cake thing for my Jeep mechanic since he's between places to live and a good snack always helps the homeless feeling, I know that on a very personal level. I decided on plums with lemon, lemon makes everything great. I used the entire lemon so if my mechanic is still alive after he eats this I'll add that to my repertoire. Besides the cake I made I also made a small loaf for me to eventually sample and determine what if anything needs to be changed or rethought. Things always look good, how deceptive.....so I sliced more then a few plums.

                                                                                                                                                                   

   Lemon Plum Tea Cake

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter

2 large eggs

1/4 cup yogurt/sour cream or other...buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 lemon zested and pulverized in the blender with the eggs

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 packed cups of sliced fresh plums

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup crushed bran flakes

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick butter

Crumbs

soften butter in microwave and gently beat crumb mixture with hand mixer until broken into even clumps. Easier then cutting in cold butter.

1. STEP 1
   Preheat oven to 350*. Grease 8x8 pan with non stick spray and a loaf pan or a 9x13.
2. STEP 2
   Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, and add eggs with puree of lemon, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture alternating with buttermilk and lemon juice. Gently fold in  sliced plums using a wooden spoon.
3. STEP 3
   Pour batter into pan. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about an hour.

Dropped the big one off tonight next door for John. The little slice I tasted from the loaf was different and great. Use what you can and leave the rest behind, that's what I do and somehow I always make it work.