Recipe: Spiced Plum Crumble Cake
This cake’s tender crumb and crunchy topping partner perfectly with slightly tart and juicy plums.
Words & photos: Elien Lewis
If plums aren’t to hand, try it with any stone fruit. Note: Plum trees are an excellent choice for home gardens – they are prolific producers and easy to look after. There are many varieties to suit different climates and gardens.
Serves: 10
INGREDIENTS
For the cake:
2 cups plain flour
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup plain yoghurt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
120g unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup soft brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup milk
300g fresh plums or other stone fruit, halved and stoned
For the crumble topping:
80g unsalted butter
¼ cup soft brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons plain flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
METHOD
Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line 23cm round cake tin.
Sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer, or a bowl and a wooden spoon, beat the butter and sugars together until thick and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the yoghurt and vanilla extract.
Fold in the dry ingredients a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Don’t over-mix. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and put the plums on top, cut sides up.
To make the crumble topping, melt the butter and stir in the remaining ingredients. Spread mixture evenly over the plums.
Bake for about 50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
This is an extract from special edition, Sustainability Through the Seasons. This special edition practical guide to living a greener and more environmentally friendly life 365 days of the year. It is packed with self-sufficiency tips on seasonal gardening, low-waste living, garden-to-table cooking, sewing and mending, bread-making and crochet and knitting.
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