Upside-down Spiced Plumb and Orange Cake

This is a really decadent, crumbly, yummy cake, best eaten while still slightly warm from the oven.

The inside is fluffy and moist , with the subtle taste of almonds and citrus; pale in colour, The sponge contrasts perfectly with the sticky, warm spiced layer of rich purple plums on top.

Mmmmmmmmm.....

Ingredients:

-175g self raising flour

-150g ground almonds

-1tsp baking powder

-2eggs

-100g caster sugar

-125g butter

-juice of half a large orange, zest of the whole thing

-juice and zest of one large lemon

-5 purple plumbs, sliced

-2 tbsp light muscovado sugar

-1tbsp mixed spice (cinnamon, coriander, caraway, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)

Method:

-in a large non-stick pan, place 25g  of the butter, the muscovado sugar, and the mixed spice. Turn to a medium heat and allow to melt together.

-once melted, make sure the mixture is covering the base of the pan evenly and then lay down one layer of the sliced plumbs over the mixture. Wait one minute, then turn them over and add another layer on top if you still have plumbs leftover. By this point the mixture should be bubbling around the plumbs.

-leave on the heat, not touching it for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside until later.

-Now for the sponge: in a large bowl mix together the remaining ingredients until smooth, we'll combined, and of dropping consistency.

-line a deep cake tin (not a sandwich tin) with non-stick baking paper. (You can get ones made to fit the cake tin from Lakeland- I would highly recommend them)

-on the bottom of the lined tin, carefully take individual plumb slices and pack them neatly round the base so they cover the whole bottom of the tin without gaps, and so they still make a nice pattern.

-when you've lined up all your plumbs, pour the sauce from the plumbs evenly on top.

-next, take the sponge mixture and carefully spread it on top of the plumbs, evenly, and being careful not to mix up the two.

-bake at 180C for 35-40mins until the cake gas risen slightly and the top is golden.

- leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.

-then, grab the plate you will be serving it on and place it on top of the cake tin, bottom side of the plate facing you.

-Grab both the plate and the tin with both hands, holding them together, and carefully but swiftly, in one motion, turn the cake upside-down so that it falls out of the bottom of the tin on to the plate.

-put the plate and the tin/cake on a surface and carefully lift the tin from the cake. Remove the non stick paper.

- you've made an upside down cake :)