Viennese Plum Cake

My mother and grandmother used to make this cake. My grandmother came to America in 1904 from the Burgenland in Austria, and she called this Viennese Plum Cake, so that's what we call it. It has a firm, almost dry texture, but is rich with butter and eggs. I often make this cake with fresh sliced peaches. While sliced apples also work, I think plums, peaches, and apricots are the better complement with this particular cake.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1  lb plum, Italian Pruning (Approximately 18 to 20 plums)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar, Mixed with
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1  cup butter, Softened (2 sticks)
• 1  cup sugar
• 4  eggs, Beaten
• 2  cups flour, Sifted With
• 2  teaspoons baking powder, and
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease Two 8-inch Round Pans with Butter.
3. Choose plums that are more blue in color than red, and are soft but not mushy. Cut the plums in half lengthwise, along the 'seam', removing the stone. If there's any fiber or remnants of a stem, trim the tip of the stem end with a paring knife. Set plum halves aside.
4. Mix two teaspoons of cinnamon with the half-cup of sugar and set aside.
5. In mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
6. Add eggs, mixing until well blended.
7. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
8. Add half of the flour mixture into the creamed butter, stirring just until smooth; then add the remaining dry ingredients, again being careful not to over-mix. Batter will be stiff.
9. Divide batter evenly into greased cake pans, spreading to fill pan to the sides.
10. Press plum halves into the top of the batter, cut side up, arranging them in tight rows. You should see very little cake batter. My mother always said ".
11. load 'em up!".
12. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly and generously over the top of each cake.
13. Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
14. Cool completely.
15. While my mother would pooh-pooh it, you can serve with whipped cream. Enjoy!