Sir Gawain's Plum Cake

6 tablespoons butter, room temp

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

scant 1 cup sugar; of this, put aside 2 tblsp

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk (or non-dairy milk, David usually uses almond milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

(optional: a few drops of lemon oil, cinnamon, almond extract, etc.)

Fruit: sliced plums, apricots, peaches, pears, berries, cherries, etc.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9" cake pan and coat with flour, or line bottom with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

With a spatula, cream together the butter and all but 2 tblsp of the sugar. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla.

Stir in the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until smooth. Transfer batter to the pan. Cover the surface of the batter with the fruit, pressing the fruit slightly into the batter. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Don't be afraid to cover entire surface with fruit and to overlap fruit slices a bit.

(If using plums, mix the extra sugar with about 1/2 tsp cinnamon and toss the plums in the mixture, reserving a little to sprinkle on top. Also, a bit of lemon oil tossed with the plums gives the cake a nice zesty flavor.)

Bake for 10 minutes at 350, then reduce to 325 and bake for another 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 15 min., then unmold and cool completely on a rack. Serve room temperature.