Plum Cake In Sarlat-la-Canéda, France
Sarlat-la-Canéda, to give the town its official name, is such a popular tourist destination that it is hard to realize it was once such a remote place that its medieval fabric was never disturbed by modern life. The town of Sarlat grew around a Benedictine monastery that was founded in the ninth century. Though located in the Dordogne valley, it was far enough from the river itself to spare it from plundering Vikings who plied the waterways of Europe and ruthlessly pillaged other towns at that time.
Isolation shielded Sarlat from devastation during the frequent wars that marked the history of France. Railway lines and decent roads reached the town only very late in the nineteenth century, delaying modern development. In the nineteen sixties the French government realized that the town was a historic treasure and passed laws to restore and preserve its medieval centre. They also merged its administration with the neighbouring town of La Canéda, giving the new commune its composite name.
The main street through Sarlat, the Rue de la République, was built in the nineteenth century to cut through the original labyrinth of alleys and streets. It is still the easiest way to walk through town, but if you wander off on either side you find yourself in a maze of little lanes with antiquated old buildings towering over you. It is fun to lose yourself here, imagining that you are back in the middle ages!
Sarlat is famous as a gastronomic destination, and the surrounding Perigord region produces some of the best walnuts and truffles in France. Specialized festivals are organized to celebrate these, as well as all the different products that can be made from them such as oils, cakes, breads, liqueurs and cheeses. Above all, though, Sarlat is famous for its geese. The most prominent square in town is the Marché aux Oies (Goose Market), marked by a brass statue of three geese in its centre. Here, every March, is held the Fest’Oie, a celebration of everything related to geese. Stalls sell goose and duck-based dishes including goose soup, goose sausage, potatoes sautéed in duck fat, confit, rilletes, and above all, foie gras. You can watch a goose tamer, practice goose plume calligraphy and buy goose themed pottery or wooden carvings of geese!
Sadly, we weren’t able to visit Sarlat during the goose festival but we did manage an amazing lunch of their famous fois gras, duck confit and potatoes roasted in duck fat while we were there. All this followed by hefty slices of local walnut cake and a seasonal plum cake I can still remember to this day!
This is the cake to make when ripe purple plums are flooding the market in late summer and you don’t know what to do with all the ones you bought. Try this easy cake and let it perfume your home with the aromas of cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla as it bakes. The ripe plums dissolve into juicy, jammy pockets that add flavour to each blissful bite. Enjoy it plain or serve with vanilla ice cream, it’s delicious either way!
Plum Cake
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp each: baking powder, ground cardamom
A pinch of salt
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
10 small, ripe purple plums, halved and pitted
2 tbsp demerara sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease or spray an 8 inch square baking pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, ground cardamom and salt in mixing bowl.
In separate bowl, using an electric handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating lightly after each.
Add vanilla and beat gently until combined.
Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Do not mix it too much.
Transfer batter to prepared pan, scraping out all the mixture, and smoothing it evenly.
Top batter with halved plums, skin side up, arranged in a single layer. Add another plum or two if all of the batter isn’t covered evenly.
Combine demerara sugar with ground cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly all over top of the plums, covering cake completely. NOTE: You can skip this step if desired or omit adding the sugar on top.
Bake for 40 - 45 min or until tester comes out clean and cake is golden brown.
Let cake rest for at least 15 min before serving.
Serves six or more!
