Plum Butter Cake

With the invention of modern baking powder in England in 1843, a wealth of new baking opportunities suddenly became possible. Even the traditional English pound cake, made with equal parts butter, flour, sugar, and eggs, was given a shot of the modern leavener, resulting in the lighter, fluffier butter cake. For this rich teatime offering, the Downton kitchen would have turned to the Victoria, Farleigh damson, or another good cooking plum, perhaps from the estate’s own garden.