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plum cake on a green plate.
cookingwithmykids

Plum cake

Plum cake is a deliciously simple bake perfect for the autumn season. It's a great way of using up plums from your garden and as it is so easy to make it's a ideal bake for kids.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 18
Course: Afternoon tea, Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 218
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 9 Plums (approximately)
  • 300 g (2 ½ cups) self raising flour*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 225 g (1 1/8 cup) soft brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 225 g (1 cup) butter or baking margarine
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Equipment

  • Digital scales
  • Freestanding mixer
  • Mixing bowl
  • Hand held mixer
  • Measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • Spatula
  • Offset spatula
  • 23 x 30cm baking tin
  • Wire rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C / 350F then grease and line a 23x33cm (9 x 13 inch) baking tin with baking or parchment paper.
Prepare the plums
  1. Half and de-stone the plums (or quarter them if they are quite large). Set them aside for now.
Make the plum cake batter
  1. Measure all the cake ingredients out and add them to a large mixing bowl or a free-standing mixer. It doesn't really matter what order you do this because it all get mixed in together at once but if you follow along with the order they're listed you're less likely to miss anything out.
  2. Start with the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, and sugar. When you add the baking powder, make sure you use your finger to level the teaspoon so that you add just the right amount.
  3. Next add the the wet ingredients: crack the eggs into a small bowl, before adding them to your mixing bowl.
    Add the butter, or baking margarine if you're using it. Butter needs to be soft enough to mix in, so if yours isn't try cutting it into pieces before popping it in the microwave to soften it.
    Finally, add the tablespoon of milk.
  4. Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer, a hand held mixer or even wooden spoons mix everything together. Mix it for a minute or two until the batter looks lovely and light and smooth.
Make the plum cake
  1. Spoon or pour the cake batter into your prepared baking tin. Spread it to the edges and level the top with a little spatula.
    Then, arrange the plum halves on top, pressing them in very gently.
Bake the plum cake
  1. Bake the plum cake for 50-60 minutes. It's ready when it's turned golden brown, and is starting to come away from the edges of your tin and the plums are nice and soft.
    You can double check it's ready by inserting a cocktail stick, skewer or sharp knife in the centre of the cake. It should should come out clean if it's fully baked. If there's wet cake batter on the stick put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
    If it is browning too much on top you can cover it in foil for the last ten minutes or so.
  2. Take the traybake out of the oven and leave it in the tin for 10 minutes to start cooling.
    Remove the traybake from the tin, peel off the baking paper and leave it to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice it into pieces with a sharp knife.