Individual Pluot Cakes

A pluot is a cross between hybrid of a plum and an apricot. They have a smooth skin and firm flesh. The pit is fairly small. There were some nice ones at the grocery store, I remembered this recipe from the “try it sometime” pile and this was the result.

These are cooked in a muffin or cupcake pan resulting in nice individual cakes.

Individual Pluot Cakes
Servings: 12 cakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 2 pluots
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• Vegetable oil baking spray
• 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar

Directions:

1. Remove the butter and egg from the refrigerator 1 hour before you want to make the recipe.
2. Halve the pluots with a paring knife. Twist one half to separate it from the pit. Carve around the pit in the second half and remove it. Place the pluot halves cut side down on a cutting board. Divide each half into two equal parts. Cut each quarter into 3 wedges. You should end up with 24 wedges in all.
3. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and allspice in a bowl. Set it aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter and sugar, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until well creamed.
5. While butter/sugar creams combine the egg, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a small bowl. When butter is creamed add the egg mixture and incorporate.
6. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add 1/3 of the dry ingredient, followed by 1/2 the milk. Combine well and repeat with half of the remaining dry ingredient and the remaining milk. Again, combine well, add the last of the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
7. Coat muffin cups with baking spray. Using a 1/3 cup disher divide batter among muffin cups. Smooth batter in cups and top with two pluot slices. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the muffin tray half way through. A toothpick should come out clean when the cakes are done.
9. Transfer muffin tray to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes.
10. Use a table knife to loosen cakes from the muffin tray. Remove cakes from the muffin tray and let cool completely.

Notes:
I picked up my sparkling sugar at King Arthur Flour. You can substitute any course sugar, such as raw sugar, in place of sparkling sugar.

Many recipes have you spray you pan with non-stick baking spray when you preheat the oven. I think this is slightly foolish as the spray inevitably pools in the bottom of the pan while you assemble the batter. I spray the pan just before I’m going to fill it with batter.