Plum & walnut cake

Name: Plum & walnut cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 12 crimson-fleshed plums, plus extra to garnish (optional); 150 g walnuts, plus 50g, roughly chopped, to serve; 150 g butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing; 150 g light brown soft sugar; 3 large free range eggs, lightly beaten; 1 tsp vanilla extract; Generous grating of nutmeg (about ¼ of a whole nutmeg); ¼ tsp ground cinnamon; 115 g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; Icing sugar, to serve; Cream or crème fraîche, to serve (optional)

Diana Henry's bake is based on the Greek walnut cake – but this one is without the traditional coffee-based syrup. It’s a lovely cake for this time of year.

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Vegetarian

Serves8
CourseCake
Prepare15 mins
Cook1 hr
Total time1 hr 15 mins

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12 crimson-fleshed plums, plus extra to garnish (optional)
150g walnuts, plus 50g, roughly chopped, to serve
150g butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
150g light brown soft sugar
3 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
Generous grating of nutmeg (about ¼ of a whole nutmeg)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
115g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
Icing sugar, to serve
Cream or crème fraîche, to serve (optional)

Halve the plums, remove the stones, then cut each half in two. Set aside. Put 100g walnuts into a food processor and grind, using the pulse button, until as fine as possible, then roughly chop the remaining 50g walnuts.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5 and butter and base-line a 23cm springform round cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric handheld or stand mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time until everything is combined. Beat in the vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon, then fold in the walnuts – both types – the flour and the baking powder. Scrape this into the prepared tin.
Put the plum quarters onto the batter and bake for 50-60 minutes. If it’s getting too dark on top, cover the cake with foil. The plums sink into the cake, but it means you have a moist cake full of fruit. When the cake looks done, push a skewer into the middle and if it comes out clean, it’s ready. Leave to cool for about 20 minutes, then undo the clasp on the cake tin. Leave to cool completely unless you want to enjoy it while still warm.
To serve, scatter 50g chopped walnuts on top of the cake then add a light dusting of icing sugar. Pouring cream or slightly sweetened crème fraîche is good on the side, if liked.