You know the old saying about how the law is like sausage…you don’t want to see how either one gets made. I am starting to feel this way about a lot more than sausage. I have become one of those annoying label readers at the grocery store who is blocking your access to the Cheezits. About once every four months I throw my hands up in disgust in the bread aisle. If you aren’t looking, you don’t want to know. I go home, make my own bread and it is good but never quite right for PB&J. So, I end up back at the bread aisle…
Well, I thought I could contain my neuroses to the “obviously junk food” aisle. I was wrong. I was forced to confront it again making this humble little plum cake. Dorie says you need you need eight plums. I used 4.5 and it could hold no more. Apparently, my plums had giganticism. Just what kind of frankenfood fruit am I buying? I go to the organic farmers’ market a lot but I also go to the regular old chain grocery store, too. I shudder to think what kind of mad scientist hybridization (is that a word?) is going on in the old plum orchard. I am giving myself a headache at this very moment. I am sure a nice can of chemicals Diet Dr. Pepper will clear that right up.
The cake? Oh yeah, the cake. It was good. I like plums and I like breakfast cakes, so no complaints here. The pictures are sub par. I baked late in the evening and wrapped it up early in the morning for work. So, there you go. I tried to give a piece to Will for breakfast but he asked for a PB&J as insurance. He didn’t eat the cake.
It went pretty quickly at work until there was only one mangled plumosaurus left. I will check out the other bakers to decide if any of the other variations are worth trying. For the recipe, visit Michelle of Bake-En. Next week: crème brulee. This will be my maiden voyage with homemade crème brulee. Wish me luck.
One last thing: I am reading a lot of blogs every week but probably not commenting as much. This is what happens when a child steps on your laptop. It does not make for a very pleasant viewing experience.
Baking with the Boys 
Oh man! I’d cry if my laptop screen looked all crazy like that. RIP lappie. Nothing a diet dr pepper won’t cure right? Glad you liked the cake. It was a good breakfast cake to be sure.
Clara @ iheartfood4thought
PB&J insurance – I love it! my plums were sadly ginormous, too.
Holy moly – I’m with CB – I would cry if that happened to my laptop.
Frankenfruit!! I love that – who knows what really happens with our fruit – that’s why I stick with chocolate.
Once you make creme brulee yourself, you will never order it in a restaurant again. It is less complicated that you might think.
My plums were huge also, but oh so delicious. Just the right amount of ripe. I think yours looks great. Keep baking that bread!
ooooh, so sorry about the laptop! I’m reassuring myself about the plums by saying that Dorie used a different type. Yep, that’s the ticket. Your cake looks good Yum!
Plumosaurus – hehe! I somehow didn’t end up with frankenfruit, but I’m with you on store bought bread – yeecchhh!
Anytime breakfast involves cake, it is going to be a good day! The picture of your laptop screen hurts to look at.
Oh no!!! How terrible about the lap top. 😮 (
The cake looks great and I totally understand you with regard to reading all the labels. You know they’ve got to be messing with those plums! I don’t think some of us can leave well enough alone.
The cake was good with cherries, though. Just wanted to let you know!
Too funny – I do the same thing in the bread aisle. Why do they need 40 ingredients to make one loaf of bread when it takes only 4 or 5 at home??
I love the title of your post!! You are always so funny. The cake looks great!
Plumosaurus and frankenfruit — yup, that’s about right! Your pictures are all beautiful, except the laptop one. Yikes — sorry about that! Glad you liked the cake, though!
Ha- love your comments about grocery shopping! Isn’t it frustrating? I think your frankenfruit cake looks yummy!
I find it almost impossible to buy any kind of baked goods in the supermarket, and I’m getting that way about fruits and vegetables, too. We’re so lucky to have a great farmers market here from May to November, but soon enough I’m going to have to buy indoors again! Your cake looks great, even if the plums are huge.
I loved this post. From the sausage start to the broken laptop. I know what you mean and it makes me draw inward and bake more and more and more myself. Love the plumosaurus cake too.
Your cake looks great! I completely agree on the store bought bread. Bummer about your laptop screen 😦
Oh, my, poor little laptop! Or should it be, poor little you? In any case, your cake looks delicious, gigantic fruit or not! I loved the cake for breakfast, it was such a treat!
Mmm, diet Dr. Pepper…oh wait, the cake! Looks beautiful and tasty. Sorry about your laptop!
Oh, poor laptop! Can you get a replacement screen on eBay, perhaps?
I am also going with the “different plums” excuse. Glad you liked it!
We read the labels too. Very distressing sometimes…