1/2 c. soft butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. unsifted all-purpose flour

FRUIT TOPPING:

14 to 16 Italian plums (fresh prunes or purple plums)
2 to 3 tbsp. sugar
Powdered sugar

Cream butter with sugar until smoothly blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla and flour until batter is well mixed. Butter and flour an 11 inch round shallow pan (removable bottom is best). Spread batter evenly in pan and arrange fruit over the surface. But the plums in halves, remove pits. Place nut side up over unbaked Kuchen, placing close together. Sprinkle fruit with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until cake feels firm when touched in the center. Let cool at least 30 minutes on a wire rack. Remove pan rim, if possible, and serve warm or cool completely and serve cold. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

About 30 minutes before serving, dust the surface liberally with powdered sugar. This allows sugar to dissolve on fruit, making a distinctive pattern on cake.