Soft buttery sponge studded with juicy baked plums.
Serves 4 | Preparation: 20 minutes | Cooking: 45 minutes | Total: 95 minutes
Times include any chilling, resting or cooling stated below. Oven temperatures are conventional; reduce by 20°C for a fan oven.
Ingredients
500 g plums, halved and stoned
125 g soft butter
125 g sugar
2 eggs
150 g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar, for sprinkling
Method
Heat the oven to 180°C and line a 22 cm springform tin.
Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
Fold in the flour and baking powder, then loosen with the milk. Spread the batter in the tin.
Press the plum halves, cut side up, into the batter. Mix the cinnamon with the sprinkling sugar and scatter over the top.
Bake until golden and a skewer in the sponge comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in the tin before slicing.
Variations and substitutions
Works with halved apricots, damsons or pears. Best the day it is baked, still good the next day.
Homegrown and seasonal produce
Use ripe, sound plums. Frozen stoned plum halves can be added without thawing; the cake may need longer, so use the skewer test.
Storage and freezing
Cool promptly, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours at 5°C or below. Eat within 48 hours. Freeze cooled portions for up to 3 months; freeze carrot cake without frosting and other desserts without cream, custard or yoghurt. Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours. Reheat desserts served warm once until piping hot; cakes can be eaten chilled or brought briefly to serving temperature.
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Stock photograph illustrating the ingredients or a serving idea.
