Instructions: To make preserved plums: Wash plums and put in clean quart jar. Fill jar with vodka; add 1/3 cup sugar. Cover tightly and store in a cool, dark place. After 3 days, if sugar has not dissolved, turn jar over a few times. Repeat every 3 days until sugar dissolves, then leave undisturbed for about 3 months.

To make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter two, 3 cup ring molds.

Sift together flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder; set aside. Beat butter in bowl of heavy-duty mixer with paddle attachment until soft. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. With mixer running, add eggs very slowly to butter-sugar mixture, 1/4 at a time, allowing each addition to be incorporated before continuing. Add dry ingredients to batter and mix. Stir in plums and plum liquid.

Distribute batter between molds, set on a baking tray and place on middle shelf of oven. Bake until cakes are browned and a skewer inserted comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool to lukewarm, then turn cakes out of molds. When completely cool, dust with powdered sugar. Wrapped in plastic and refrigerated, cakes keep 1 week.

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