Vanilla Plum Cake

We have a plum tree at dad’s house, it has ripened. Need I say more?

Probably not. i will anyway though.

Description (because I always appreciate knowing what it should turn out like) – soft vanilla flavour, unless more is added; juicy plum halves that burst with sweetened, roasted flavour when bit into; firm crumb that melts into your mouth and holds a buttery flavour; not overly sweet thus more can be eaten in one sitting!

This recipe makes a very very large cake that is also quite deep. I didn’t have large enough plums but ideally you want the plums to take up half of the cake and the batter of the cake to take up the rest. More juicy plums to bite into which, really, is the centre piece for this simple cake recipe.

Vanilla Plum Cake
Inspired by Annabel Langbein; The Free Range Cookbook

• Plums, halved – as many as it takes to cover your cake tin
• 300 grams butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 1/2 cups cake flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 160˚C and grease a very large square cake tin (a roasting dish will do in it’s absence , or two springform tins. Line with baking paper in all occasions, if a roasting dish is used, let the paper hang over on all four sides to help remove the cake.

Cut plums into halves and remove the stones; set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egss one at a time. Mix the lemon zest and vanilla into the mixture.

Whisk together baking powder and flour. Add both buttermilk and flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Fold until just combined.

Pour batter into tin and spread evenly across; arrange fruit cut side up on the top of the batter, push them down slightly. The cake will rise up to meet them.

Bake for 50 – 60 minutes until golden, test by inserting a knife in the centre and seeing if it comes out clean.