Weekend Cooking: Italian Plum Buckle with Lemon and Almonds

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I know you've heard me gush over Sheryl and Mel London's Fresh Fruit Desserts many a few times, but it is truly one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. I always turn to it first when summer fruit is at its best.

This week, the farmer's market had early apples, beautiful peaches, lingering blueberries, and lovely sweet plums. The temperatures have dropped a bit and I thought I'd take advantage of the weather and bake up those plums.

Although the recipe I'm sharing called for Italian plums (we always called them prune plums), any type of small plum will work. I chose little red fruits, and they were perfect in this down-home, simple buckle. If you don't have a food processor, just use a hand mixer or even a whisk.

By the way, I'm not at all sure Fresh Fruit Desserts is still in print, but if you find it at a yard sale, in a used-book store, or online, don't hesitate to buy it. Otherwise, check your library.

Italian Plum Buckle with Lemon and Almonds

For the cake

• 6 tablespoons soft butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon finely minced lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 14 whole Italian plums, cut in half and pitted

For the topping

• 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 1 small wedge of lemon
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting the top

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375F and butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, lemon peel, almond extract, vanilla, and buttermilk and process until well combined.

On a piece of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to the mixture in the food processor. The batter will be thick. Scrape into the prepared pan and place the plum halves, skin side up, in one layer over the batter.

Make the topping: Blend the butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl using a pastry blender until the butter is absorbed, then add the almonds. Sprinkle the streusel over the plums and squeeze the lemon wedge on top. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Remove the rim of the springform pan and serve warm with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.