Monday, September 3, 2012

PLUM, STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

 So Auntie Wendy has a plum tree; and boy does she have plums.  Actually Auntie Wendy and Uncle Don have amazing gardens, fruit trees and CHICKENS!  They have the things I dream of, but my city actually has a code that forbids having chickens in the back yard, go figure.  



But this is about the plums, beautiful red plums.  The tree was so plentiful that Auntie Wendy baked, she canned, and she still had tons of plums to give away. 







We gratefully accept this bountiful gift, so sweet and drippin’ down your chin, juicy.  Well one can only eat so many plums, if you know what I mean, so I figured we better make something out of ‘em.
I’m still at Little Mama’s and ya know she doesn’t cook, so that means that she doesn’t bake either ( I am actually back home in Florida now, but when this story took place I was at Mama's and Big Daddy's).  I look in the cupboard and spot the Bisquick mix I know there are all kinds of things that can be made with Bisquick.
I wonder aloud if I can make a plum cake with Bisquick.  Mama tells me I can and that she has a Bisquick recipe book.  I didn’t know such a thing existed, but it does and it’s great!  I peruse the book and spot an Apple Coffee Cake; I’m thinking that plums would be just as good, if not better.  So this recipe is basically the same as in the Bisquick cookbook.  I changed some of the amounts and added oats to the streusel, omitted the glaze, added vanilla, and of course plums to the cake. 
The cake is colorful and pretty on the plate, moist and has just the perfect amount of sweetness.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and grease an 8 x 8 inch pan. 

Make the streusel first, which I forgot to take pictures of, sorry.

 



Dice the luscious plums, I like red plums for the color, and because that’s what Auntie Wendy had on her tree.






 



Make the batter and pour half of it into the greased pan.







 




Cover that with the plums…






 

And half of the streusel topping. 

“Where are the nuts?” you ask.  Well the recipe said to sprinkle the nuts at the very last, but I though the nuts were too dark, and would be better mixed in with the streusel.  So I’m giving you a heads up, go ahead and mix the nuts into the streusel.





 



Spread the other half of the batter over the plums and streusel.






 



Spread the remaining streusel topping over the batter.






 




Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.








 


Let rest at least 20 minutes before cutting.  The cake is great both served warm and at room temperature.








Makes 1- 8 inch, cake

For the Streusel Topping

½         cup       Bisquick baking mix
¼         cup       Quick oats
2/3       cup       Brown sugar
1          tsp        Ground cinnamon
¼         tsp        Ground nutmeg
1/3       cup       Cold butter
2          Tbsp    Pecans or walnuts, chopped 

For the Plum Cake

2          cups     Bisquick baking mix
3          Tbsp    Granulated sugar
2/3       cup       Milk
1                      Egg           
½         tsp        Vanilla extract
2          cups     Fresh plums, diced large 

  1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Grease an 8 x 8 x 2 inch square pan.
  3. Prepare the streusel topping in a medium bowl; mix together the ½ Bisquick, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  4. Cut the cold butter into that mixture, using a pastry blender (cutter), two knives, or your hands.  Blend until the mixture is crumbly.
  5. Stir in the nuts, and set aside.
  6. In a large bowl mix the 2 cups of Bisquick and the granulated sugar.
  7. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; and add into that well the milk, egg and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  A few small lumps are okay.
  8. Pour half of the cake batter into the greased pan.
  9. Top with the diced plums.
  10. Top the plums with half of the streusel topping.
  11. Pour the rest of the cake batter over that.
  12. Sprinkle the remaining streusel on the top.
  13. Bake 25 to 35 minutes.
Check out more great desserts at:
Pamela's Heavenly Treats

1 comment:

  1. Oh my gosh! Will you look at those plums. I am drooling. The topping, the color - this is absolutely beautiful! Thanks Auntie Wendy and Kari :)

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