Serve this easy-to-make cake warm as dessert, or cold with tea or coffee. I have made it parev but you can substitute milk and butter if preferred. Apples or pears work as an alternative to plums. It also freezes well, so it’s worth making a couple to keep one for another time.

Method: 

• Line and grease a 23cm round cake tin with baking parchment.
• Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C) fan.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and ginger into a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and milk together.
• Warm the golden syrup, honey and margarine in a saucepan over a low heat.
• Stir in the sugar and keep on a low heat until the margarine and sugar have melted together.
• Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little before pouring the warm syrup mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture and stirring well. Add the whisked egg mixture and mix again until just combined.
• Transfer to the prepared cake tin and arrange the sliced plums evenly over the surface.
• Bake for about an hour, checking after 40 minutes. Cover with foil if the cake starts to burn.
• Gently melt the jam either in the microwave or in a saucepan set over a medium heat and brush the cake liberally with it.

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First published in the JC December 15 2017