Stone Fruit Tea Cake

Walking through the throngs of early risers - to get hold of the best produce - in Preston Market, I caught a glimpse of yellows, reds and purples in spherical hues. This total harmony of (analogous) colors is a flashing reminder of another season gone by and a new season dawning, "Oh hello autumn, there you are!" The leaves are changing hue once again and the trees are shedding leaves. A cacophony of leaves ruffling in the middle. It is autumn indeed.


This stone fruit tea cake make use of fruits in season - blueberries, peaches, plums and apricots and is a good company while you are sipping tea and listening to the rustling of leaves. Hehehe.  Im telling you now, the cake tastes as good as it looks.  I baked this so many times, and each time I serve this on the table, I am elevated to a food goddess position! Lol!


For tropical countries, mangoes, pears, strawberries (or pine apples) are delicious substitutes.


*Snagged from http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter (for greasing pan), or just line the pan with paper and skip the butter (which I did)

200gm all purpose flour
2/3 tsp baking powder
2/3 tsp salt
130gm sugar (pulverized with seeds from 1 vanilla bean or  1 tsp of vanilla extract)
115gm butter
2 eggs
Extra sugar for sprinkling.
3 peaches, 4 apricots and 1 black plum, or any other stone fruit that you like, cherries, nectarines or fresh prunes 


1. Preheat the oven to 160C (I put my oven in fan-forced so I usually used this temp for this cake)/180C. Prepare a 7X12 baking tray, buttered or lined with paper, or just use a 9 inch round or square pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. With a mixer, cream the sugar and butter together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
3.. Add the flour in 2 or three shifts, mixing just until a smooth dough forms. It will be pretty soft still. 
Divide dough into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other. Dollop the larger portion of batter onto prepared pan. Use a spoon to press down the dollops and spread it around. 
4. Cut fruits into small pieces. Scatter the fruit over the dough. Generously sprinkle with sugar if they are sour. Dollop small balls of dough over the fruit. It will look charming no matter how even the blobs are, so don't worry too much about getting them perfect. 
5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (I usually bake mine for 35- 40 minutes), or until lightly golden and firm. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.