Quetsch Plum and Walnut Butter Cake

You will also need:

1. A food processor or blender for grinding the walnuts.
2. A 9-inch springform pan, lined with parchment paper.
3. Two mixing bowls.
4. A sifter.
5. A mixer, standing or hand.
6. A small strainer for sprinkling powdered sugar over the baked cake.

For the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter, dust it with flour, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Place the halved and pitted plums in a bowl. Pour the brandy over them and sprinkle them with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
3. Cream the butter with 1 cup of sugar, grated lemon zest, and vanilla extract until the mixture is light and fluffy. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and mix them into the butter.
4. Beat the eggs until they start to foam. Add them and the ground walnuts to the flour and butter mixture.
5. Pour the batter into the pan. Arrange the plums on top in rings, cut side down. Sprinkle with any remaining brandy/sugar syrup and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. (The syrup may leak a little from the pan. A piece of foil placed on the rack below the one holding the cake will catch the drips.)
6. Bake the cake for 1 hour, or until it is golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, remove the ring of the springform pan and transfer the cake to a plate. (It isn’t essential to remove the cake from the bottom of the pan and peel off the parchment. The cake is best when served warm and, before it cools, it’s difficult to remove the paper.)
7. Put a little powdered sugar in a small strainer and sieve the sugar over the top of the cake.
8. Optional serving suggestion: a bowl of lightly whipped and sweetened heavy cream to accompany warm slices of this cake.

The recipe is adapted from one in “In the Hands of a Chef” (2002) by Jody Adams, the chef and owner of the restaurant “Rialto” in Cambridge, Massachusetts.