Festive Plum Cake (the perfect dessert for Christmas Day)

Festive Plum Cake (the perfect dessert for Christmas Day)
Serves 12

On Christmas day, we all think about the traditional dishes like turkey or ham and for dessert apple, pumpkin or pecan pie. Let me encourage you to consider a beautiful plum cake for dessert. The cake is easy to make, looks stunning and tastes incredible.

So many of my childhood memories are associated with real, homemade, fresh, food plucked straight out of my father’s garden. A times, I almost take it for granted that I had a mother and father who adored and celebrated delicious food all year round, not just at the holidays. My parents gently wove an appreciation of good food into the everyday lives of my brother Michael, sister Julie and myself. Every night after school, we would help my father pick the fruit from the trees, dig up the crops of vegetables from the soil, and then wash and prepare the fresh bounty for dinner. I can see my mother now in her spotted apron, giving out orders as what to do next. It was a real family affair back then.

Now with a family of my own, I try whenever I can to pass on these memories and lessons. I believe it’s important for children to understand where their food comes from and to learn how to cook it. So, get the kids to help you make this wonderful plum cake for Christmas and start to create your own food memories. Make it the day before so desert is covered and you can concentrate on the turkey and trimmings on Christmas day. Then all you have to do is bring it out of the fridge, slice, serve and enjoy. Happy Holidays!

Ingredients:

For the cake
2 oranges
4 tablespoons golden syrup or local honey
4 plums, stones removed and flesh cut into quarters
1 cup softened butter
1 cup fine sugar
4 large eggs
½ cup ground almonds
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon almond extract
¼ cup flaked almonds

For the frosting
1 cup softened unsalted butter
2½ cups confectioners sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

How to Make:
Pre-heat oven to 360◦F and lightly grease and line two eight-inch cake tins. Take a medium bowl and mix together four tablespoons of orange juice with the golden syrup.

Cook the plums on a griddle pan until charred and add to the golden syrup mixture. Set aside.

Whip the butter and sugar until creamy, and then gradually beat in the eggs. Sieve the ground almonds, flour and baking powder with half teaspoon of salt. Fold the flour mixture into the eggs with the almond extract, orange zest and three tablespoons of orange juice. Divide the cake mixture between the tins and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Use a skewer to poke holes in the cakes. Brush with the golden syrup and orange mix. Leave in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

For the frosting, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the orange juice. Spread a small amount of icing on top of one of the cakes and then sandwich together. Lightly ice the sides and top of the cake. Strain the plums and arrange on top with the flaked almonds. Chill before serving.