I’ve been making a lot of cakes lately, either to take to my daughter who is nursing our new grandson and needs the calories or for my other half to take to share with his workmates. I love baking so it’s great to have an excuse to try out some new recipes. I spied some delicious-looking plums on the market on Saturday and did some research to find a cake to showcase them. This recipe uses spelt flour popularised by Sharpham Park organic farmer, Roger Saul, the founder of Mulberry. Sadly, I read on their website that they are closing down the spelt business so I’ve used this recipe from his book Spelt as a tribute to him.

1 x 20cm lightly greased and lined round springform cake tin

• 150g unsalted butter, cubed
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 125g white spelt flour (normal plain white flour also works but the flavour is better using spelt)
• 125g ground almonds
• 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 5 large dessert plums, halved and stoned
• Icing sugar for dusting

To make…

• Preheat the oven to 180C. Prep the cake tin.
• Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat until pale and fluffy. I used my electric stand mixer.
• Mix the beaten eggs with the vanilla essence and then add the eggs in steady stream until completely combined. Add a spoonful of flour if it looks like it’s going to split. This usually only happens if your eggs and butter weren’t combined at room temperature.
• Mix the flour, almonds, cinnamon, spelt flour and baking powder together thoroughly and then gently fold into the cake batter with a metal spoon.
• Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and gently level with a fork so it is evenly spread. Avoid packing it down and knocking the air out.
• Gently lay the plums, cut side down into the cake mixture in a circle.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven on a baking sheet for 50 minutes. The cake should be risen, and golden brown on top. Check the centre is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean, transfer the cake in the tin onto a wire rack to cool down. If not, keep baking in 5 minute intervals and check so it’s not over-baked.
• Carefully remove it from the tin after 10 minutes, allow to cool completely and dust with icing sugar before serving. This is a bit of a dessert-style cake so it’s wonderful served with Chantilly cream or cinnamon ice cream.

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