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Recipes Plum-Almond Cake Chef Anne Cornell Makes 2 9-inch cakes 2 Tbsp                     butter for greasing pans 2 cup plus 8 tsp        sugar, divided 1½ tsp                     ground cinnamon 1 cup                      whole almonds (about 5 ounces) 3 cups                     all purpose flour 2 tsp                        baking powder ½ tsp                       fine sea salt 2 cup                       unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks) 4 large                     eggs 2 tsp                       vanilla extract 1 tsp                       almond extract 2½ pounds               plums (about 16 medium), pitted and cut into ½-inch-thick slices                               whipped cream (optional for garnish) Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper round. Mix cinnamon and 8 teaspoons sugar in small bowl. Set aside. Finely grind almonds in a food processor. Transfer to large bowl; whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add 2 cups sugar; beat until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Add flour mixture to mixer bowl and combine on low just until incorporated. Transfer batter to prepared pans; spread evenly and smooth tops with a spatula. Gently fan plum wedges close together into batter in an aesthetically-pleasing pattern around outer rim and center of cakes. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over plums. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cakes in their pans on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a small knife between cakes and pan sides to loosen. One at a time, invert each cake onto a platter and remove parchment paper. Place another platter atop cake. Using both hands, hold both platters firmly together and invert cake so plums are now face up. Cool cake completely. To serve, cut into wedges and top with whipped cream.