Chocolate plum cake

This chocolate plum cake is wonderfully moist, soft and generously topped with juicy plums and a rich chocolate glaze. The plums pair beautifully with the deep chocolate flavour and delicate hint of almond, creating a perfectly balanced cake that’s hard to resist. It makes a generous traybake and stays fresh for several days, making it ideal for sharing or baking ahead.

Ingredients for the chocolate plum cake:

• 200 g butter
• 200 g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 large eggs
• 200 g sour cream
• 250 g plain flour
• 60 g cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 50 g dark chocolate, finely grated
• 800 g plums (such as damsons or Victoria plums)

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of a mixer and beat until pale and fluffy. Beat in the almond extract. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda directly into the bowl. Add the sour cream and gently fold everything together with a spatula until just combined. Fold in the grated dark chocolate.

Line a 23 × 31 cm baking tin with baking paper. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared tin. Stone the plums and arrange them closely together over the top, cut side facing upwards.

Bake at 175°C for about 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely. Pour over the chocolate glaze before slicing and serving.

Ingredients for the chocolate glaze:

• 80 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 30 g unsalted butter

Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth.

Enjoy!