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Thursday, 21 August 2014

Rustic plum cornmeal cake























This summer has been fairly poor for our Marjorie plum tree, a reasonable crop was developing but then we had a freak wind storm, followed by drought and then rain, so I had to do battle with the local wasps to snaffle enough plums to make this cake. I love English plums but the season is very short and unless you can get your hands on a supply from a generous local grower making jam or any type of preserve can be an expensive business.

I decided to make this cake to showcase my plums and combine them with a tasty polenta cake recipe I had been meaning to bake for sometime. The plums impart a delicious moist tang to each slice and provide colour to a very plain bake.
























Stunningly simple and very rustic this cake needs no more embellishment than a light dusting with icing sugar.

























So lets bake and create a beauty

What you need

  • Oil Spray for the tin
  • Couple of English plums - cut into segments, stoned removed
  • 175g softened salted butter
  • 225g caster sugar
  • 3 eggs - free range, beaten
  • 150g fine cornmeal / polenta (ensure gluten free)
  • 100g gluten free flour - plain
  • 2 tsp xanthum gum
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • Icing Sugar (optional)
Round loose bottomed cake tin - oil sprayed and base lined 

What you do
  • Pre heat the oven to 180c
  • Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy
  • Now add the rest of the ingredients (except the plums and icing sugar) to the mixture and mix until well incorporated.
  • Pour into the prepared tin and artistically arrange to plum segments on the top of the cake
  • Place in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes until golden, well risen.
  • Cool in the tin
  • Once cool remove from tin and serve (optionally sprinkled with icing sugar)

I am linking up to this months Alphabakes hosted by Caroline Makes and The More than the occasional baker in rotation. This month's them is P - for plums and polenta in my case.


And also bake of the week created by Casa Costello and hosted this week by Hay in a Day

                                                         Casa Costello


7 comments:

  1. That looks delicious.

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  2. I think the battle with the wasps was worth it! This cake looks scrummy. Thank you for linking up to #bakeoftheweek :-)

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  3. That looks so good! Would love to bake one of these, going on my list for the autumn. :-)

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  4. I agree it has been thin pickings from the plum tree this year. But what a perfect way to bake with those plums you have rescued.

    Looks lovely!

    Angela - Garden Tea Cakes and Me

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  5. It looks like the kind of cake you need when you've been working outdoors in the garden all day Nice and substantial and homegrown fruit is the best! Thanks for entering Alphabakes.

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  6. Hi Linzi,

    Greeting from Australia. I'm a Singaporean mum living in Melbourne. Nice to know your blog via Bake of the week :D

    Love your plum cake. It looks very rustic and pretty!

    I'm now your latest follower and hope that we can cook and bake with each other more often. Cheers!
    Zoe

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  7. Thanks everyone for such lovely comments. I love linking up to all the challenges, its great how it inspires your baking and cooking.

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