dlyn

If you visit any foodie blogs at all, you have probably run into mention of Dorie Greenspan’s Dimply Plum Cake. It’s a marvelous creation and one I had been planning to try. We live in tantalizingly close proximity to the Cornell University Orchard Store and spend each fall drowning in the fruity goodness they are famous for. Right now, they have a half dozen different varieties of plums and I love them all.I decided to switch things up just a bit and make cupcakes. The only other change I made to the orginal recipe was substituting lemon zest for orange, only because I had no oranges.

The recipe:
1 1/2 C AP Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
Scant 1/4tsp ground cardamom (optional)
5 Tbsp Unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 C Packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 C flavorless oil, such as canola or safflower
Grated zest of 1 orange or lemon
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 purple or red plums (in the fall, use Italian prune plums), halved and pitted

Getting Ready: center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degress F.
Butter an 8-inch square baking pan, or 12 muffn tin and dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and put the pan on a baking sheet.
Whisk the flour, baking powder; salt and cardamom, if you’re using it, together.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a mixture after each addition. On medium speed, beat in the oil, orange zest and vanilla. The batter will look very light and smooth, almost satiny. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only till they’re incorporated.

Run a spatula around the bowl and under the batter, just to make sure there are no dry spots, then scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top, or divide evenly between the 12 cups in the muffin tin. Arrange the plums cut side up in the batter-I usually make 4 rows of 4 plum halves each-jiggling the plums a tad just so they settle comfortably into the batter, or sink halves three quarters of the way into each cupcake.Bake for about 40 minutes for cake, 25 minutes for cupcakes or until the top is honey brown and puffed around the plums and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 15 minutes-during which time the plums’ juice will return to the fruit-then run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold the cake. Invert and cool right side up.I sprinkled the tops with some powdered sugar. So yummy – I will make this again and again, in cupcakes and the full cake.

I know, I know – you want to tell me to step away from the feta, try another tangy, crumbly, rich cheese for once. Maybe next month. In the meantime, we are going to have some more feta and we are going to drown it in some of my other favorite things, like sour cream and garlic. I was in a bit of hurry when making this dressing since going to work sometimes interferes with blogging, thus only a couple of photos. This is the easiest dressing ever though, so more photos aren’t really necessary. We have the two biggies – what to put in it and what to put it on, so we should be fine.

Ingredients:
1 large or two smaller garlic cloves
3 tablespoons vinegar, preferably white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons milk or half and half
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
6-7 sprigs flat leaf parsely
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

I use my immersion blender for this – quick and easy. You can use a food processor or even blend by hand. Give the garlic a couple quick chops and put in a container with high sides – I use a large yogurt container usually. Add the vinegar and milk or cream and zap until the garlic is more or less liquified. Add everything else, except the feta cheese and run through it maybe 10 – 15 times with the hand blender until it’s all uniform and the herbs are minced. Add the feta cheese and give it 3 or 4 zaps to mix and break up any larger pieces and you are done. Keep refrigerated of course. I try to make it early in the day to give the flavors some time to really develop and blend.

Then, do this:
Trust me – you will not be sorry. Enjoy!