Upside Down Plum Chiffon Cake {A Tuesdays with Dorie Post}

I've talked before about my extended Navy family (such as on this occasion or that one).  They truly are a very special bunch of people and I feel blessed to have them in my life.  And just recently my house became just a bit more noisy and active as we welcomed some very special Navy friends into our fold for a few days.  5 boys under the age of 10 running around your house can make for an intensely loud, but very fun time!

Our friends had just dropped off Dad for an 8 month deployment and their visit to our house was just the distraction they needed to help forget the sadness for a few days.  That's part of the beauty of the Navy, no matter where you are, there's always someone nearby that you know you can rely on for help.  I didn't even have to think twice when my friend asked if her brood of boys could take refuge with us.  In fact, I welcomed the visit- the chance to see my friend who lives a two day drive away and for our boys to reunite after two years apart.  It was as if time never passed.

As we sat at the table after getting the boys to bed that first night, I offered my dear friend a slice of this cake and a cup of tea.  We sat and talked about our lives, caught up on the time that had passed and marveled at how much older and grown up our boys had become.  Just the two of us and a few bites of something sweet.  It was like old times again.

The cake wasn't perfect- it definitely had its flaws.  The center sank as it cooled and I had way more streusel for the filling than I wanted.  But like that night at the table, it was comforting and sweet and homey.  Just right for an evening of catching up with an old friend, or perhaps (as is often the case with our crazy Navy life) welcoming a new one into your life.

 

To find the recipe for this Upside Down Plum Chiffon Cake you can visit the beautiful hosts for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie post, Marlise and Susan.  Or you could pick up the book Baking with Julia (which I highly encourage).  And as always, you really need to visit the blogs of the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers to see what they baked up and if, like me, they just couldn't help but tweak the recipe to reflect their own personalities.