Prinny's Plum Cake

I get asked for this one a lot! It's a great gift cake and goes well with coffee or tea.

Ingredients

• 1 c oil (I recently switched to organic avocado oil)

• 2 cups granulated sugar (I tried using the erythritol/monk fruit blend but it isn't as sweet and didn't give the best result)

• 3 eggs (I use extra large organic eggs)

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 cups flour (I like to use 1 and 1/2 c regular flour and 1/2 c  hazelnut flour. It adds sweetness and texture. You can use gluten-free  almond flour, too.)

• 1 teaspoon each: nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice

• 24 pitted prunes (cut in pieces)

• 1-2 cups diced walnuts

• Powdered sugar for dusting cooled cake - optional

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (can lower to 325 degrees if a dark pan is used)

• Prepare Bundt pan: Oil and flour a large Bundt pan or I use Baker's Joy  spray). You can make two smaller ones using two 6-cup

Bundt pans, but you must reduce the baking time to about 35-40 minutes.

• Cut up 24 prunes into small pieces and set aside (I use Sunsweet ones as they are moist and I sometimes add more

than 24.)

• Measure out 1-2 cups chopped walnuts and set aside

• Sift  2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice and  set aside (if you substitute part of this for hazelnut flour add it  after you sift with the other flour).

In an electric mixer combine:
          1 cup oil
          2 cups sugar (can use a bit less if you use some hazelnut flour)
          3 eggs (1 egg each time beaten w/fork before being added)
          1 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda (I measure the buttermilk first, then add the soda using a 2 cup 
   measuring cup as the mixture will expand. I also prepare it just after I prepare the flour mixture so it can rise a bit)
          1 teaspoon vanilla

When  well mixed, add in the flour mixture, the prunes and the nuts and mix  to evenly distribute. Pour into your prepared Bundt pan(s).  
Bake  for 60 minutes (45 min. if smaller pans are used) and check to see if  done with a toothpick . If the toothpick comes out clean, it's done. If  not done then, leave it in for another 5 minutes.  

Cool 10 min. before taking out of the Bundt pan. Cool at least another 15 min. before dusting with powdered sugar.
Store in foil in the refrigerator. It will keep for 2 weeks if not eaten before. Mine never last that long!

This  cake goes well with my Agents of the Crown series and my Christmas novellas, The Holly & The Thistle and The Twelfth Night Wager  in which the Prince Regent is frequently mentioned!