Plum cinnamon cake

It may not be the easiest cake in the world, but it’s certainly simple, wonderfully moist and beautifully fluffy – the perfect butter cake to welcome plum season. We’ve already baked this recipe together with rhubarb and crumble, then with strawberries and cheesecake filling, and now it’s time for juicy plums and a sweet icing. It’s definitely worth baking!

Ingredients for the plum cinnamon cake:

• 125 g butter
• 120–150 g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 180 g plain flour
• 60 g cornflour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 90 g sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (or ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond flavouring)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 900 g plums (such as Victoria or damsons), stoned and quartered

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the butter, sugar and vanilla or almond extract into the bowl of a mixer and beat until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift the flour, cornflour, baking powder and cinnamon directly into the bowl. Add the sour cream and gently fold everything together with a spatula until just combined.

Grease and line a 23 × 30 cm baking tin with baking paper. Spread the batter evenly into the tin. The layer of batter will be fairly shallow. Arrange the plum quarters evenly over the top, placing them close together.

Bake at 170°C for 45–60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly, then drizzle with icing.

Ingredients for the icing:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 3–4 tablespoons hot water

Place the icing sugar into a small bowl and mix with the hot water using the back of a spoon until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add a little more water. If it’s too thin, add more icing sugar.

This cake is very delicate and slices best once completely cooled.

Enjoy!