Plum Streusal Coffee Cake

I go crazy for pluots this time of year. If you've never had a pluot, you need to run out and try one instantly. A cross between a plum and an apricot, a pluot (or a plumcot) is such a sweet and juicy fruit--no tartness at all. (The skins have been a little bitter this season so I've been peeling them off before devouring 3 or 4 at a time). In any case, the reason why I made plum streusal is because last time I went to the store, I saw no pluots so I decided to give plums another go. Unfortunately, they are just not as sweet as the pluots for me so I decided to bake them into something. The tartness on top of the cake is perfect and offsets the brown sugar streusal.

Plum Streusal Coffee Cake (Recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine, 1995: Plum Streusal Coffeecake)

For streusel

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened

1 teaspoon cinnamon

For cake:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

5-6 plums

1. Cake: Cream the butter and sugar. Add vanilla and 1 egg at a time until incorporated.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Combine wet and dry ingredients.

4. Pour into a buttered and floured 9" inch round mold.

5. Slice up the plums and layer onto the cake batter.

6. Streusal: Combine all the ingredients in food processer and pour this mixture on top of the plums.

7. Bake at 350 F for one hour or until tester comes out clean.