Taste of Sicilian sunshine
Plum cake
Home on the Range
Sicily draws admirers to its seas, sands and sites; Risa took the job seriously. She booked a villa, fully staffed, and stocked it with friends. They gazed at ruins, they crept through caves, they focused on the feast.
Mornings, on the terrace, they acquiesced to wild berries, fresh granita and Bundt cakes in chocolate, lemon and orange. Midday the view shifted to eggplant, cheeses, gelatos — and a glistening plum-black cake. Nights in the formal dining room, they toured creamy pastas, fat red shrimp, garlic-heavy chicken. They pleaded for plum cake.
On the last day, the group gathered in the kitchen; they had one lingering concern. Choosing a heavy skillet, the chef melted in sugar, packed in plums, smoothed on batter. Baked and turned out, the cake glistened plum-black.
Risa came back with snapshots, with sighs and a single recipe. Puzzling through the prim cursive and odd metrics, she melted and packed and smoothed. Her cake glistened plum-black and tasted of Sicilian sunshine. Prep: 30 minutes Bake: 40 minutes Makes: One low 10-inch cake, serves 12
6to8 plums; choose tart, firm, almost-ripe beauties
1
cups plus 1 cup sugar teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup water 1½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 10 3 large eggs 1. Prep: 2. Caramelize: 3. Buzz: 4. Bake: 5. Flip: