Plum Crumble Cake
This is a delicious recipe I have used several times, courtesy of 'The Best Ever Baking' book, by Carole Clements.
It is a great way to use up a surplus of plums from your garden (or if they are sometimes reduced in the supermarket, because they are overripe)! It could also be adapted for any other stoned fruit. I've used a mixture of various leftover fruits in my fridge. Serve with cream, ice cream or custard (or all three) slurp!
Serves 8-10:
5oz (140g) butter or margarine, at room temperature (do not be tempted to use a fake spread - it has to be a proper fat)
5oz (140) caster sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature (I've used both medium and large - both turn out well)
1 and a half (1.5) tsp vanilla extract (not essence - that is yucky)
5oz (140g) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 and a half lbs (700g plums, halved and stoned (no need to remove skin)
For the topping:
4oz (115g) plain flour
4 and a half oz (130g light brown sugar)
1 and a half tsp ground cinnamon
3oz (85g) butter, cut into pieces.
1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F/180 deg C/ Gas 4
2. For the topping, combine the flour, light brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the butter and work the mixture lightly with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. (Or, like me, throw it all into a food processor, if you have one). Set aside.
3. Line a 10x2in (25x5cm) tin with greaseproof paper and grease.
4. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.
6. In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder, then fold into the butter mixture in three batches (I have to say - I've never bothered with the sifting and folding; I just throw it all in together and mix it up).
7. Pour the mixture into the tin. Arrange the plums (or whatever) on top.
8. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit in an even layer.
9. Bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (about 45 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin.
10. To serve, run a knife around the inside edge and invert onto a plate. Invert again onto a serving plate so the topping is right-side up.
It is a great way to use up a surplus of plums from your garden (or if they are sometimes reduced in the supermarket, because they are overripe)! It could also be adapted for any other stoned fruit. I've used a mixture of various leftover fruits in my fridge. Serve with cream, ice cream or custard (or all three) slurp!
Serves 8-10:
5oz (140g) butter or margarine, at room temperature (do not be tempted to use a fake spread - it has to be a proper fat)
5oz (140) caster sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature (I've used both medium and large - both turn out well)
1 and a half (1.5) tsp vanilla extract (not essence - that is yucky)
5oz (140g) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 and a half lbs (700g plums, halved and stoned (no need to remove skin)
For the topping:
4oz (115g) plain flour
4 and a half oz (130g light brown sugar)
1 and a half tsp ground cinnamon
3oz (85g) butter, cut into pieces.
1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F/180 deg C/ Gas 4
2. For the topping, combine the flour, light brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the butter and work the mixture lightly with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. (Or, like me, throw it all into a food processor, if you have one). Set aside.
3. Line a 10x2in (25x5cm) tin with greaseproof paper and grease.
4. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.
6. In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder, then fold into the butter mixture in three batches (I have to say - I've never bothered with the sifting and folding; I just throw it all in together and mix it up).
7. Pour the mixture into the tin. Arrange the plums (or whatever) on top.
8. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit in an even layer.
9. Bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (about 45 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin.
10. To serve, run a knife around the inside edge and invert onto a plate. Invert again onto a serving plate so the topping is right-side up.
