Plum & Almond cake

taste the rhythm of a less hurried life
Description: 

Autumnal weather & autumnal bake time.

Plums are in their peak season in late summer to early autumn, a particular favorite at this time of the year.

Indulge yourself with a generous slice of this plum & almond cake (a combination made in heaven) and a cup of herbal tea.

Ingredients: 

125g butter

120g sugar *

100g plain flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 large eggs

130g ground almonds

1 tsp finely grates orange zest

1/2 tsp crushed icaria pure sea crystals or any salt of your choice 

10-12 ripe plums: stones removed, and cut into quarters

1 tbsp icaria pure strawberry-tree fruit spread or any jam or fruit jelly of your choice for glazing 

Method: 
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
  2. Grease a 20-23 cm round tin and line the base with baking parchment.
  3. Beat the butter and sugar, until pale and fluffy.
  4. Sift the flour and baking powder.
  5. Beat the eggs, and add them gradually to the butter and sugar mixture.
  6. Using a spatula, fold in the flour and baking powder, followed by the ground almonds and the sea crystals.
  7. Add the orange zest.
  8. Scrape the mixture into the cake tin and place the quartered plums on top, cut side down, taking care not to push the plums into the batter (the batter will rise as it bakes, slightly submerging them).
  9. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean.
  10. Cool for 15 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.. 
  11. Melt the strawberry-tree fruit jam in a pan and brush on top of the cake.
  12. Serve warm or cold on a plate. 

 

TIPS

1. Depending what's in season, you could also use peaches, sour cherries, apples or pears.

2. Serve this cake with mascarpone or custard or vanilla ice cream while still warm.

3. Dare a spicier version by adding ground ginger or nutmeg or cardamom! 

 

* you can try a more natural sweetener like coconut sugar. Coconut (palm) sugar is known as being lower on the glycemic index than regular table sugar. The manufacturing process is more natural and it also contains some small amounts of nutrients to go with it. 

Plum & Almond cake