Plums come in many different varieties, some sweet, some slightly more tart.
They vary in colour from deep purple to red, yellow and green. The cloudy bloom on their skin is natural so don't be put off by it.
They are available to buy all year round, but British varieties are in season from late summer to October. When picking plums look for smooth, unbruised skin with a chalky bloom, and firm flesh - if they are very soft then they're overripe.
Plum and almond cake
Serve 4
1kg plums
1 vanilla pod
250g butter
180g caster sugar
280g plain flour
10g baking powder
A good pinch of salt
3 eggs
50g milk
50g ground almonds
Topping
50g butter
75g caster sugar
10g ground cinnamon
50g flaked almonds
1 egg
Set the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
Butter a 22cm cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
Cut the plums in half, remove the stones and slice each half into six segments.
Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds.
Mix the butter, sugar and vanilla seeds in a mixing bowl until light and creamy.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, then whisk the eggs and the milk together.
Alternately add spoonfuls of the sifted flour and the egg mixture into the creamed butter, mixing well between each addition.
Once all the ingredients have been combined spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and sprinkle the ground almonds over the top. Arrange the plum slices with the cut side up on top of the cake mixture.
To make the topping, melt the butter in a pan then stir in the sugar, cinnamon and flaked almonds. Allow the mix to cool slightly before beating in the egg.
Spoon the topping over and around the plums on the cake and bake for 1 hour until set. You can check this by inserting a knife - if it comes out clean then the cake is done.
Cool the cake slightly before removing it from the tin. Serve warm with some fromage frais.
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