Plum Cake and the Absence of Eclairs

Plum Cake
Originally uploaded by watchjennybake.

If you are a Daring Baker, chances are you came by to check on my chocolate eclairs. As usual I procrastinated but then today ended up with bad baking mojo! I have learned from experience that when one recipe fails, I may as well hang up my apron for the day.

I may attempt the eclairs tomorrow if I end up with time on my hands. I do have the day off, and all the ingredients, so we'll see.

These plum cakes are a gem from the Baking with Julia tv series and accompanying cookbook. I have been recording all the old episodes on PBS to try to learn something, and this recipe seemed so simple and summery - finally, a fruit dessert that doesn't cover up the taste and freshness of the fruit!

I even bought ramekins for this dish, since I didn't have enough.

Well, I think I just tried taking too many shortcuts. I didn't have buttermilk, so I added vinegar to the milk, and probably didn't wait long enough. I mixed everything by hand so I'm not convinced the butter and sugars creamed enough. I divided the recipe by half.

It isn't ... bad, exactly. The batter just isn't holding the plum as much as it should. The creme chantilly that I made is good though. And you can definitely taste the plums, maybe too much.