Upside-Down Plum & Muscovado Cake

Ingredients

Equipment:

20cm cake tin with a removable base

For the plums:

350g plums, halved and stoned

3 tbsp caster sugar

For the cake:

180g butter, softened 

160g light muscovado sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla essence / 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

150g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

80g ground almonds 

Recipe

Start by tossing the plums and caster sugar together in a bowl. Set aside while you make the sponge.

Preheat your oven to 180C fan. Grease and line your 20cm round cake tin with parchment paper.

Weigh out the flour, baking powder and ground almonds. Whisk together in a small bowl.

In a larger mixing bowl, use an electric whisk to cream the butter and the sugar together. Continue until the mixture becomes very light and fluffy. 

Slowly add in the eggs one at a time. Mix well in between each egg to combine. Add the vanilla essence and mix again. Using a wooden spoon, gently incorporate the flour to the mixture one third at a time.  

Arrange the plums, cut side down, in the base of your cake tin. Pour your cake batter over the plums and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until the cake is cooked and a knife or skewer comes out clean.

Run a knife around the side of the tin and turn out the cake onto an oven proof dish. Switch on the grill.

Place the cake under the grill for 3-4 minutes, till the plums are golden and a little caramelised around the edges.