Ingredients for the base of the pan 

• 45g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 110g (½ cup packed) brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons strawberry or raspberry jam (or other)
• 4 large ripe plums pitted and sliced into 12ths

Ingredients for the cake

• 175g (1½ cups, 6oz) all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 175g (¾ cup, 1½ stick, 6oz) unsalted butter (or margarine)
• 175g (1 cup minus 2 tbsp) sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) ten minutes before using. Grease or spray an 8-inch round pan and line the bottom with parchment.
2. For the base of the pan: melt the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved then stir in the jam. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, and set aside to cool, then arrange the sliced plum in two concentric rings.
3. Mix the cake: Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg at time, until combined. Beat in the vanilla essence with the last egg. Gently fold in the flour. If the batter seems too thick, stir in 2-3 tablespoons milk to give it a dropping consistency.
4. Bake the cake: spoon the batter over the prepared fruit and smoothen the top. Give the pan a few taps on the counter top to remove any trapped air. Bake 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set aside for 30 minutes on cooling rack then run a spatula along the sides and flip the cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm.
5. For cup measures: spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. I use a 240ml American cup.

Point to Note

1. Please note that oven temperatures are given as a guideline only. You may need to add or reduce the suggested temperature depending on your oven. I baked two the cake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 45 minutes.

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