Marilla Cuthbert’s Plum Cake
Spiced Plum Cake
At the supper table Dora behaved like a little lady, but Davy’s manners left much to be desired.
“I’m so hungry I ain’t got time to eat p’litely,” he said when Marilla reproved him. “Dora ain’t half as hungry as I am. Look at all the ex’cise I took on the road here. That cake’s awful nice and plummy. We haven’t had any cake at home for ever’n ever so long, ’cause
mother was too sick to make it and Mrs. Sprott said it was as much as she could do to bake our bread for us. And Mrs. Wiggins never puts any plums in her cakes. Catch her! Can I have another piece?”Marilla would have refused but Anne cut a generous second slice. However, she reminded Davy that he ought to say “Thank you” for it. Davy merely grinned at her and took a huge bite. When he had finished the slice he said,
“If you’ll give me another piece I’ll say thank you for it.” — Anne of Avonlea, ch.viii
Ingredients
¼ Cup Spiced Plum Tea Leaves
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup (firmly packed) dark brown sugar
½ up dark molasses
½ cup corn syrup
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 10-inch bundt pan, two 6-inch bundt pans or a 15 x 10 inch sheet pan.
2. Bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil, add to tea and steep 5 minutes. Strain to express as much liquid as possible.
3. Melt the butter, then stir it together with the brown sugar, molasses, and corn syrup. Set aside to cool.
4. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in the bowl of a food processor or mixer and blend. Add the eggs and lemon zest and blend until smooth.
5. Stir in the baking soda into 1 cup of the tea. It will bubble up (looks grey) Stir the mixture into the batter, mixing well, then scrape into the prepared pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes for a 10-inch bundt pan, 20-30 minutes for 2- 6-inch bundt pans, or 40-45 minutes for a sheet pan. The top should be springy and a knife inserted near the center should come out clean. Remove pan and cool on cake rack.
6. Icing: Combine the remaining tea (1-2 tsp) with the lemon juice. Sift in the confectioners sugar, whisking until a thick but spreadable pink icing is achieved. Pour over the cooled gingerbread cake and let set.
