(generously serves 12)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
½ c butter
1 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 ts vanilla
½ c milk
2 c flour
3 ts baking powder
½ ts salt
12 – 24 Italian plums
Topping:
1/3 c flour
½ c sugar
½ ts cinnamon
¼ c butter
For the cake, blend the butter and sugar together until creamy in a mixer or by hand. Add the eggs and vanilla and incorporate. Stir in the milk and then add the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until the batter is smooth.
This is a farm house version so I’m usually trying to use up plums and therefore go with a larger surface area (2 9 inch cake pans) but the original recipe called for a 8 x 12 baking pan. Either way, pour the batter into a greased pan. Halve the plums, removing the pit, and place skin side up in the batter. Since I’m trying to use up the fruit I put them as close together as possible but if you don’t have that luxury then try for two plum halves per serving arranged evenly.
For the topping: stir the dry ingredients together: flour, sugar, cinnamon. Gently mix in the butter with your fingers until just incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until a knife comes out clean from the middle.
A note on plums: Italian plums work for this because they are meatier and don’t have as much liquid (they’re the long, purple ones). Juicy plums probably won’t work very well.