A teatime cake should be moist enough to last a few days, retain its flavour and only improve over time. The plum compote seeps into the sponge, creating a beautiful, rippled effect alongside the cream and toasted flaked almonds. The cream and plum topping can be added to each slice as it’s served, or used to decorate the top of the cake if you are serving it whole.
Orange, almond and olive oil cake with plum compote
This cake will keep well for three or four days.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr
Serves 8-10
100g golden caster sugar
75g light brown sugar
175g plain flour
80g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
A pinch of Maldon salt
150ml olive oil
3 large eggs
Zest and juice of 2 large oranges
1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)
15g toasted flaked almonds, to serve (optional)
For the plums
230g plums
50g caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
For the cream
300ml double cream
20g honey
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and grease and line a 23cm (8-in) cake tin with baking paper.
To make the batter, combine the sugars, plain flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
In a second bowl, whisk the olive oil, eggs, orange zest and juice, and orange blossom water, if using. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool fully before decorating.
To make the plum compote, halve and stone the fruit, then cut the flesh into quarters. In a saucepan, combine the plums, caster sugar, cinnamon stick and 25ml water. Simmer over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the plums have broken down, then leave to cool fully.
In a medium bowl, gently whip the double cream, honey and a pinch of salt, until thick and spoonable.
To assemble, spoon or pipe the whipped cream around the edge of the cooled cake. Fill the centre with plum compote, and sprinkle the toasted flaked almonds, if using, on top. Slice and serve the cake, ensuring each piece has some cream and plum compote.
