Plum & Almond Sponge Cake

I came up with this recipe today because I had a punnet of plums that needed eating up. It was a great success...some people had three helpings!!!

Plum & Almond Sponge Cake

Ingredients:
150g butter
100g caster sugar
150g self raising flour, sifted
50g ground almonds
3 eggs
5 plums
2 tsps sugar
2 tbsp water

Single cream to serve

Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 356F / Gas Mark 4.
2. Line a 9" loose bottomed cake tin with greased grease proof paper.
3. Make the plum puree by cutting the plums into quarters and removing the stones. In a small pan, gently cook the plums with 2 tbsp water and 2 tsps sugar. It should take about 5 minutes for the plums to become soft. Puree the plums with a food processor and set to one side.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar.
5. Whisk in the eggs.
6. Mix in the ground almonds.
7. Fold in the flour.
8. Crudely mix in half the plum puree - you don't want it mixed in thoroughly, just swirled in really.
9. Spread out the cake mix in the tin and cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
10. When cooked turn out onto cooling rack.
11. Delicious served hot or cold with single cream and a swirl of the set aside plum puree.

Cook the plums until soft. Don't worry about removing the skins, the whole lot will be liquidized.

The plum puree should give an almost marbled effect.

Serve the remaining plum puree alongside the cake with cream...or if you have made extra plum puree you can also try it with ice cream or in plain yoghurt.