Honey-Poached Plumcot Cake
Plumcots—a hybrid of apricots and plums, with a mild apricot flavor and vivid plum color—are a stone fruit that comes into season in early May. They have a brief window of availability from about late spring to mid-July, and this cake takes full advantage of their peak ripeness by creating pockets of fragrant wine- and honey-simmered fruit studded throughout the buttery cake.
Honey-Poached Plumcot Cake
Makes 1 (15-cup) Bundt cake
Ingredients
1½ cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, softened3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar*4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature1 large egg white (30 grams), room temperature5 cups (625 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour, divided2½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) kosher salt1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cardamom1¾ cups (420 grams) whole buttermilk, room temperature2½ teaspoons (15 grams) vanilla bean pasteHoney-Poached Plumcots (recipe follows), chopped1½ cups (180 grams) confectioners’ sugar3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (50 grams) reserved poaching liquid from Honey-Poached Plumcots
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Add eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a large bowl, whisk together 5 cups (625 grams) flour, salt, baking powder, and cardamom. In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk and vanilla bean paste. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
In another medium bowl, toss together Honey-Poached Plumcots and remaining 2 tablespoons (16 grams) flour to coat.
Spray a 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Spoon one-fourth of batter (about 2½ cups or 558 grams) into prepared pan, spreading smooth with an offset spatula. Firmly tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter several times to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle one-third of plumcots mixture (about ⅔ cup or 147 grams) onto batter in pan, keeping fruit about ¼ inch away from sides of pan. Repeat layers of batter and plumcots two more times; top with remaining batter, spreading smooth.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean and an instant-read thermometer inserted near center registers at least 205°F (96°C), 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack, and let cool completely.
In another small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and poaching liquid until smooth; spoon onto cooled cake. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
*We used C&H® Granulated Sugar.
Honey-Poached Plumcots
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
1¼ pounds (566 grams) ripe but firm plumcots, halved and pitted1½ cups (360 grams) dry white wine1 cup (336 grams) honey
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, and simmer until fruit is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove plumcots using a slotted spoon, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Let poaching liquid cool completely.
Notes
PRO TIP: Save your leftover poaching liquid—it’s delicious and will keep for several weeks in the fridge. Drizzle it onto ice cream, yogurt, or fresh berries; stir it into iced tea or lemonade; or shake it up into a cocktail.
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