Plum upside down cake- the taste of summer.

This plum upside down cake has been on high rotation at my house over the last couple of weeks. It’s probably my favourite way of using the four big baskets of plums our tree produced this summer. That is except for the enjoyment of giving bags of plums to friends, family and neighbours.

Our plums are a deep purple variety and are great for eating. Plums are a good source of vitamin C, B1, B2 and B6. They also contain phenolic compounds, which have well-documented antioxidant and anti-cancer effects.

Upside down cakes are a great way to add fruit to your cakes, plus they look (and taste) stunning. They also increase the nutritional value of cakes by using fruit instead of a sugar-laden icing. 

Ingredients:

– 130g softened, cubed butter
– 3/4 cup coconut sugar  
– 3 eggs
– 1 1/2 cups almond meal
– 1 1/2 cups oats (grind to make a flour)  
– 2 tsp baking powder
– 1 tsp pure vanilla essence 
– A sprinkle of cardamom
– 200g sour cream
– Plums (halved and stones removed). About three dozen depending on size. 

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius fan or 180 degrees Celsius conventional.
2. Cream butter and sugar (in the kitchen whiz if you have one).
3. Add eggs and mix thoroughly.
4. Place the other ingredients (except the sour cream and plums) in a baking bowl, fold in egg mixture, then add sour cream and mix thoroughly.
5. In a lined cake tin, line the bottom of the tin with a layer of plums (half facing down). Squeeze in as many plums as you can.
6. Add the remaining plums to a saucepan, heat so they are soft then blend in a food processor or blender for a couple of seconds to form a puree.
7. Spoon this mixture (it should be quite thick) into the gaps between the plums.
8. Add the cake batter.
9. Cook in the oven for 60-65 minutes. It may take longer depending on your oven. 
10. Once cooked leave it in the tin for about 10 minutes then flip it onto a large plate. I found it too delicate to put on cooling rack.

Serve your plum upside down cake with a good dollop of cream (cashew, coconut or cow’s milk) and enjoy.