Somehow this book ended up on my desk a few months ago. I recognised Lotte Duncan from saucy and flirty segments on Food Network and I brought the book home and then forgot about it.
And then the last-minute need for cake hit on a work night and I was scanning my recipe books for what I could make with the contents of my cupboard and a few old plums. And there was this recipe for March Plum Cake in the book, and I had all but the orange and the ground almonds. I did have root ginger, and maple extract (secured on a trip to Canada) and mixed spices. So I improvised, and the result was delicious. So thanks Lotte for the basis and see below for the changes.
March Plum Cake via Social Nesting
4 large plums – halved and stoned
2 to 3cm knob of root ginger, peeled
8oz (225g) butter, melted
8oz (225g) soft brown sugar
1tsp mixed spice
1tsp maple extract
4 large eggs
8oz (225g) self-raising flour
Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease and line a 9 inch cake tin.
Place the plum halves skin side down on the bottom of your cake tin and finely grate the ginger over the plum halves.
Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric beater until light and fluffy.
Stir in the mixed spice and maple extract.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding 1 tsp of flour to the mixture between each addition.
Fold in the rest of the flour and pour over the plums in the cake tin.
Spread evenly and place in the oven for 25 minutes and then remove from the oven, cover with foil and place back in the oven for a further 30 minutes or until edges are fully cooked and the middle is still slightly wet when poked with a toothpick.
And if I may, this incarnation is SHA-mazing served with Martha Stewarts Frozen Honey Cream…
