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Packed with plums, roasted nuts, dark chocolate and orange it has all the ingredients of any time of the year. This cake can also be made with dried rather than fresh fruit, so you may want to swap the fresh plums for figs or prunes. This will ensure the cake with keep longer. If you have a nut allergy, the quantity of nuts can be replaced with raisins or sultanas.

Oven Temp: 350°F/180°C

Cake tin: spring form 9-10”

Ingredients

Topping

100g/4oz dark brown sugar

50g/2oz softened butter

25g/1oz plain flour

50g/2oz ground almonds

450g/1 lb plums (stoned and cut in half)

1 tsp cinnamon powder

Cake Mixture

200g/8oz butter

150g/6oz soft brown sugar

4 eggs (lightly beaten)

250g/10oz cake making self-raising flour

2 oranges (rind only)

100g/4oz each of walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds

(chopped & roasted in a pan for 1-2 mins.)

1 tsp cinnamon powder

200 g/8oz dark chocolate

1dsp cocoa powder

Prepare the Topping

Mix together, 4 oz dark brown sugar, 2oz softened butter,1oz flour and 2oz ground almonds. Gently mix or rub in until crumbly and softened.

Prepare the plums – cut in half, remove the stones and sprinkle with 1 tsp cinnamon powder.

Prepare the tin – lightly grease a 9-10” spring form tin with oil or butter. If preferred, line with greaseproof paper.

Prepare the chocolate – heat the broken chocolate pieces in a bowl over a pan of hot water until melted.

To make the cake

Beat together, until soft and creamy, the butter and soft brown sugar. Alternately add the flour, cocoa powder and the lightly beaten eggs until the mixture is creamy and well mixed.

Add the orange rind, chopped nuts, 1 tsp cinnamon powder and mix well. Finally add the melted chocolate – this should still be slightly warm but not hot or the cake mixture will begin to melt and soften.

Pour into the prepared tin, then sprinkle the chopped plums on top. Press down slightly, then sprinkle with the almond crumb mixture before baking in the oven for approx. 1¼-1½ hrs or when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before turning out of the tin.

This cake is great on its own, cut into wedges, or sprinkled with icing sugar or drizzled with dark chocolate and served with ice cream, yoghurt or whipped cream.

Tip: if you like a dash of brandy or marsala can be added to the cake during mixing.