Now that we’ve had a chance to try a prune upside-down cake, let’s have a go at making a prune right-side-up cake.
Happily, we have not just one, but two versions to choose from. Weirdly, but not actually what you might call staggeringly surprising, the recipes are very similar, yet totally different.
The first is shared by Marysville cook Emma B. Davis, who writes, “Are you still looking for that certain prune cake recipe? Perhaps the enclosed copy of a recipe that appeared in The Herald, I believe in the early 1960s, is the one you want. I have an original copy, which I am sorry was not dated.
“The cake always received raves any time I made it. Very good, if served with a bowl of whipped cream.”
And the second recipe, which also benefits from a blob of whipped cream, comes to us courtesy of frequent Forum helper-outer Karen Hume of Everett. She notes it was clipped from a 1980s copy of another newspaper.
Prune cake with butterscotch glaze
2cups sifted regular flour
1teaspoon baking soda
1/4teaspoon salt
1tablespoon cinnamon
1tablespoon nutmeg
1tablespoon allspice
1cup corn oil
1 1/2cups sugar
3eggs
1teaspoon vanilla
1cup buttermilk
1 1/2cups coarsely cut, cooked, drained, pitted prunes
1cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Butterscotch glaze (recipe follows)
Whipped cream
On waxed paper, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the corn oil and sugar; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; stir in vanilla. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, about 1/3 at a time, blending well after each addition. Stir in prunes and nuts. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch tube pan with removable bottom. Bake at 350 degrees until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
About 15 minutes before cake is done, prepare butterscotch glaze. Pour hot glaze immediately over cake in pan. When cake is cool, remove from pan. Serve with whipped cream.
Butterscotch glaze
1cup sugar
1/2cup buttermilk
1/4cup butter or margarine
1/4cup light corn syrup
1/4teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon vanilla
Turn all ingredients into 3-quart saucepan. Over medium heat, stirring occasionally, bring to a full boil and boil 10 minutes. While sauce is hot, pour immediately over cake in pan. Allow to soak into cake. Cool cake completely before removing from pan.
Makes 1 cup glaze.
Prune cake with buttermilk syrup
12tablespoons butter, softened
1cups sugar
2teaspoons vanilla extract (not vanilla flavoring)
3eggs
2cups all-purpose flour
2teaspoons cinnamon
1teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon baking soda
1cup buttermilk
2cups cut-up pitted prunes (12-ounce package)
1cup chopped walnuts or other preferred nut
Buttermilk syrup (recipe follows)
Softly whipped cream (optional)
Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, cream butter until fluffy; slowly add the sugar, beating at medium-low speed with electric mixer until blended. Add the vanilla and eggs, beating thoroughly at medium speed. In a separate container, mix together the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; slowly add to the creamed mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat until the batter is smooth. Stir in the prunes and nuts. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake about 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. When the cake comes from the oven, use the tines of a fork to poke holes all over the top at 1/2-inch intervals. Drizzle the hot syrup over and let cool for a few hours. If desired, serve with softly whipped cream. Makes one 9-by-13-inch pan.
Buttermilk syrup
1/3cup sugar
1/4cup buttermilk
2tablespoons butter
1/2teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the sugar, buttermilk and butter in small saucepan; bring just to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside until ready to use. Reheat, if necessary; the syrup must be hot when poured over the cake.
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