Serves 6 to 8.  Requires a round cake mold 8″ in diameter, 1-1/2″ deep or a baking dish about the same size.

6 oz pitted prunes
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of sugar
1 Tbsp of rum
1 stick of butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of flour
1/3 cup of cornstarch
1 small teaspoon of baking powder

• Combine prunes, water and sugar in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
• Turn off the heat.
• Add the rum, cover and cool completely.
• Drain and reserve the liquid.
• Quarter the prunes.
• Cream the butter (smear with the heel of hand until very smooth).
• Beat the eggs for one minute in the electric mixer then dribble in the sugar and continue beating until pale yellow.
• At low speed, beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time.
• Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled.
• Sift the flour, cornstarch and baking powder together.
• At low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the batter.
• Fold the prunes into the batter with a rubber spatula.
• Butter the mold and pour the batter into it.
• Tap on the counter to level the mixture.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45-60 minutes at 350°F.
• The top of the cake should be gold and the sides should pull away from the pan.
• Cook the reserved prune liquid until it thickens to a syrup.
• When the cake is baked and unmolded, brush the syrup over the cake.