Prune Upside Down Cake
Ingredients:
For the GLAZE:
4 tbsp. butter, unsalted
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 cups pitted prunes
For the CAKE:
1 stick butter, unsalted
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups flour, all purpose
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt butter & brown sugar over low heat while stirring until sugar crystals have melted. Turn off heat & pour glaze into an 8-inch round cake pan. Place prunes on top of glaze in a spiral pattern. You may have some prunes leftover. Set the pan aside. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder & salt.
In a mixer, cream butter & sugar together. Add egg yolks & vanilla. With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture & beat, then add the milk, finish with the other half of the flour. Whip egg whites & cream of tartar to soft peaks, fold into batter, then pour the cake batter on top of the prunes & bake at 350°F for 1 hr. or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 20 mins. To unmold the cake, invert the pan onto a cake plate. Gently tap the bottom of the cake pan to release any prunes & slowly remove the cake pan. Serve as is or with whipped cream.