Bah! I have a nasty cold. My nose and ears are plugged up and my taste buds are on the fritz. So, while I’d like to tell you how delicious this week’s TWD offering is, I really can’t. I can tell you that the other people who tried it really liked it. I can also tell you that many of my fellow TWD bakers had good things to say about it too. I guess that will have to do for now.
This week’s assigned Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was her Dimply Plum Cake, selected by Michelle of Bake-En. I’d seen this cake make its rounds around the blogs before, and it looked pretty good. When I hauled my sorry, sick butt into the kitchen to bake it, I realized that I didn’t have enough plums for the recipe. Crap! What I did have was a case of beautiful California nectarines that a client had sent me. So, I made a Dimply Nectarine Cake instead. I also didn’t have any oranges in the house, so I added a little orange flower water to my batter.
Fortunately, this was a pretty easy and straightforward recipe. I was in no mood for complicated! The process only took about an hour, from start to finish, which was about as long as I could stay awake.
If you’d like to try this cake for yourself, the recipe can be found in Dorie’s book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. You can also find it on the web here and here. In the meantime, check out the TWD Blogroll to see some other great interpretations of this cake.
I’m going back to bed now. See you next week for some Creme Brulee!
Filed Under: Baking, Cakes and Cupcakes, Desserts, Fruits, Recipes, Tuesdays with Dorie
On September 23, 2008 at 9:23am, Lori said...
me too with the nasty cold!!! i hope we feel better soon. i love the big sugar crystals on top of your cake.
On September 23, 2008 at 9:25am, Sandy Smith said...
This is beautiful, and it looks delicious with the nectarines.
Feel better soon!!
On September 23, 2008 at 9:25am, kellypea said...
Looks totally delish! I’ve been wanting to make something with my plums. Sorry to hear you’re sick — it’s a drag to not be able to taste anything. Get well!
On September 23, 2008 at 9:27am, Maria said...
I hope you feel better soon! Your cake is stunning!! Love the photos!
On September 23, 2008 at 9:55am, Amy said...
Mmmm, nectarines - great idea! It looks great!!
-Amy
http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com
On September 23, 2008 at 10:10am, rainbowbrown said...
What a bummer. I hope your cold passes without being too annoying. Your cake looks really good, wish you could have tried it.
On September 23, 2008 at 10:23am, noble pig said...
Oh no, get well soon! I think the nec’s are great sub. I always feel plums and nec’s are interchangeable. It looks beautiful.
On September 23, 2008 at 10:38am, Manggy said...
Oh nooooo!!!
Do feel better soon! Couldn’t you maybe eat a giant slice of cake? I mean, for the vitamin C? 😛 I can make up any excuse to eat anything!
On September 23, 2008 at 11:01am, The Short (dis)Order Cook said...
Hope you feel better soon. I have this tendency to want to bake when I’m sick too. You would think that it would be the last thing I want to do. You would also think my husband wouldn’t want to eat anything covered in my germs, but it is never the case.
A couple of years ago a Polish-German coworker of mine kept telling me how good her mother’s plum cake was and wanted me to try one and said she would have her mother bake extra ones the next tiem she visited. I remembered receiving this concoction that looked like nothing and wondered what was so great about it. Then I tried it. Wow was it good. I was so happy her mother did that for me. This looks a lot like that cake.
On September 23, 2008 at 11:02am, Chez US said...
This looks fantastic, I am going to have to make up for it …. been missing my TWD due to work schedule! Maybe this weekend I will make this & next weeks!
On September 23, 2008 at 11:33am, Jamie said...
This looks gorgeous and delicious!
On September 23, 2008 at 11:46am, The Food Hunter said...
I like the idea of nectarines in this. It looks delicious.
Hope you feel better soon!
On September 23, 2008 at 12:01pm, Marie said...
Your cake looks so wonderful. I hope that you feel better soon!
On September 23, 2008 at 12:39pm, vibi said...
Of course, everything you bake is always wonderful! …I can’t imagine how you succeed, even when you have a cold! …you must be somekind of fairy or superwoman; I would have stayed in bed and snored! LOL
Nectarines were a great idea, especially harmoniously tucked away in the batter, like you did!
On September 23, 2008 at 1:42pm, Bridgett said...
Aw, please get well soon! Your cake looks so professional and pretty! I love the idea of nectarines since I wasn’t too big of a fan of the plums. I will have to try your adaptation next time and see if it is more of a hit in my house.
On September 23, 2008 at 1:52pm, Audrey said...
Your “design” is so pretty - I like it better than the square shape. What size pan did you use?
On September 23, 2008 at 2:13pm, BAKE-EN said...
The cake looks beautiful with the nectarines. I hope you feel better soon.
On September 23, 2008 at 2:30pm, Tartelette said...
Hope you feel better soon Susan! It’s no fun being sick early in the season, at least future colds might be out of the way for the whiole season
The cake turned out wonderful! It is indeed a favorite at our house!
On September 23, 2008 at 2:34pm, Peter M said...
Like Whoa…now YOU make my tarte tatin of plums look ho-hum…I bow to thee!
On September 23, 2008 at 2:43pm, Peggy said...
Round and nectarines! It looks yummy. Feel better soon!
On September 23, 2008 at 3:04pm, TeaLady said...
I like the round cake. And nectarines are sooooo much better than plums. Great job.
On September 23, 2008 at 3:49pm, Cakespy said...
Wow, you could have fooled me-this one looks like you were slaving all day in the kitchen! It looks fantastic. Sorry to hear you’re feeling under the weather though!
On September 23, 2008 at 3:56pm, Darius T. Williams said...
I’ve not seen one bad cake yet - this rocks! Great job.
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
On September 23, 2008 at 5:00pm, Heather said...
how beautiful!! this looks delicious, and the picture with the whip cream is lovely!
On September 23, 2008 at 5:33pm, n.o.e said...
Awwww, feel better soon! Your cake is stunning and I can tell you it’s a tasty recipe! The nectarines look great all arrayed on the top like that.
Nancy
On September 23, 2008 at 5:44pm, chocolatechic said...
Sorry you are so ill.
Your cake looks wonderful.
I ended up using apples.
On September 23, 2008 at 6:08pm, karen said...
i feel for you, i had a nasty cold like that too recently. it’s no fun. well, your cake looks amazing. i hope you feel better soon!
On September 23, 2008 at 6:09pm, steph- whisk/spoon said...
this looks wonderful-nectarines are my favorite stone fruit. i’m so sorry you weren’t able to enjoy it!!
On September 23, 2008 at 7:27pm, Bria said...
I’ll definitely try this cake again with nectarines or peaches I think. Yum!
On September 23, 2008 at 7:38pm, the italian dish said...
You did one beautiful job! This looks great.
On September 23, 2008 at 7:39pm, The Food Librarian said...
What a TWD trooper for making this while under the weather! Looks beautiful too. I think nectarines would be a great addition - next time!
On September 23, 2008 at 8:20pm, Cathy said...
So sorry that you are not feeling well — there is just nothing worse than warm weather colds! I am impressed that you made this anyway! I hope that you get to taste it next time. Yours looks beautiful — I love the nectarines!
On September 23, 2008 at 9:13pm, Mary Ann said...
I love how you made it in a round pan. It looks so beautiful!
On September 23, 2008 at 9:22pm, Claire said...
I left you an award on my blog.
On September 23, 2008 at 10:16pm, Steph said...
That looks beautiful, especially with the sugar sprinked on top. Orange flower water.. that sounds cool!
On September 24, 2008 at 2:20am, Marthe said...
Sorry about the cold, I hope you feel better now! I love your cake, the sugar sprinkling on top looks very nice!!
On September 24, 2008 at 3:07am, lenno_cornish said...
Mmm…The cake looks so delicious. I would like to try to bake the same one :-)))
On September 24, 2008 at 3:54am, FFichiban said...
Oh noes! Get lots of rest and get better! But you still managed to make this wonderful cake woowww!
On September 24, 2008 at 5:23am, Jayne said...
Beautiful!! Sorry you’re sick - I am too. Hope you’re feeling better soon!
On September 24, 2008 at 6:28am, Grace said...
even in your weakened state you can create a cake better than i can when i’m in top form. very nice.
On September 24, 2008 at 6:53am, Cakelaw said...
Get well soon Susan! So sorry ot hear that you are not feeling the best. However, it hasn’t diminished your baking ability - this looks delicious, and such a cute name (“dimpled” - reminds me of a very cute bloke that I know).
On September 24, 2008 at 7:04am, Zoe Francois said...
I saw your tweet about this cake, it sounded great. It looks so wonderful! Hope you feel better soon.
On September 24, 2008 at 7:18am, Passionate About Baking said...
Gorgeous gorgeous…I love it. I wish summer & stone-fruits were here again. Have just apples here…:0(…
On September 24, 2008 at 7:19am, Passionate About Baking said...
Oooooooooops sorry…do get well soon!!
On September 24, 2008 at 8:11am, Engineer Baker said...
I hope you feel better soon! Oh, and I love love love the golden brown edges you got - so pretty!
On September 24, 2008 at 8:46am, Gretchen Noelle said...
Sorry about your cold! The nectarines sound good in this. I like that you sliced them instead of using huge chunks! Looks great!
On September 24, 2008 at 8:49am, Anita said...
Hope you feel better soon - and that the cake helps speed your recovery!
On September 24, 2008 at 10:10am, Madam Chow said...
I think your cake turned out beautifully. And I wasn’t in the mood for complications, either!
On September 24, 2008 at 1:52pm, Prudy said...
That lovely whimsical dollop of whipped cream makes it look even more delicous! Nectarines sound lovely.
On September 24, 2008 at 11:19pm, CookiePie said...
Hope you feel better quick!!! Your cake looks lovely…
On September 25, 2008 at 3:09am, Nina Timm said...
Did they leave some for you to try when your cold clears???No? Well, I am sure you are going to make it again…this looks divine!!!
On September 25, 2008 at 3:50am, hot garlic said...
Ah! It’s beautiful! Your photography is just breathtaking. Sorry you couldn’t taste it, especially since it looks DELICIOUS!
Hope you’re on the mend!
On September 25, 2008 at 6:14am, Debbie said...
Your cake looks so good!!! I love baking and eating cakes with fruit!!
On September 25, 2008 at 9:36am, Rachel said...
Oh yours looks delicious-I bet the nectarines were great in this cake. I’m new to TWD and I love your blog! Hope you’re feeling better!
On September 25, 2008 at 10:12am, giz said...
Simply irresistible.
There’s an award on our blog for you.
On September 25, 2008 at 11:45am, kim said...
lovely cake and great light in your photos! hope you are feeling better today
On September 26, 2008 at 8:53am, alexandra's kitchen said...
what a perfect way to celebrate the end of the stone-fruit season. I have got to try this recipe for the season truly ends!
On September 26, 2008 at 10:35pm, Erin said...
This looks great! I bet it was so good with nectarines.
On September 27, 2008 at 9:12am, Shari said...
I love the round version!
On September 28, 2008 at 8:51pm, Jaime said...
your cake is beautiful! i hope you get to feeling better soon…seems like you’ve been sick a while now. i didn’t care for this cake so much, unfortunately
On October 01, 2008 at 11:21am, Katrina said...
I know I’m a little late on this one, it’s so hard to get to all the blogs I want! But your cake may be the prettiest one I’ve seen!