Plum cake

400 kcal or less autumn fruit fruit cake garden glut make ahead over an hour sponge cake summer harvest tray cake

N/A

Cuts into 16 squares

Source

Ingredients

butter , for greasing

2 tbsp demerara sugar

500g plum

175g butter

175g dark muscovado sugar

140g golden syrup

2 eggs, beaten

200ml milk

300g self-raising flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp mixed spice

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 23cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Butter the paper generously and sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Halve the plums and arrange in the base of the tin in 1 layer, cut-sides down.

For the cake, melt the butter, muscovado sugar and syrup in a large pan over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool for 10 mins, then stir in the eggs and milk. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then mix to a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the tin, over the plums, and bake for 45-55 mins until firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Will keep in the fridge, wrapped in baking parchment and foil, for up to 5 days.