German Autumn Fruit Kuchen - cooking recipe

Ingredients

pastry
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
fruit topping
14 -16 purple plums, halved and pitted,or
3 large apples, peeled,cored,and cut into 1-inch thick slices,or
3 large ripe nectarines or 3 large peaches, peeled,pitted,and thickly sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Butter and flour an 11-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch square cake pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until smooth; beat in the eggs until light and fluffy.
Stir in the vanilla, flour, and salt.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Press your choice of fruit evenly into the batter, sprinkle with the sugar and dot with the butter.
Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Serve warm or cool on a wire rack.
Serve with a topping of slightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
The kuchen can also be frozen, well wrapped.
Thaw and reheat in a 300 F.
oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Makes 12 servings.
The Great Holiday Baking Book.