Plum, Spelt & Almond Cake
Prep Time:15 mins, Cook Time: 40 mins, Total Time: 55 mins
September 26, 2013
One of the best things about living in the UK so far has to be the early school finishing times. 5pm was a ridiculously long day in France and picking Francesca up at this time was tantamount to a car crash. I dreaded the school run. She was exhausted, frazzled beyond belief, tantrumtastic, screaming, thrashing…..you name it, there was always an ‘event’ on the way home. I couldn’t get her fed, washed and bedded fast enough. And she was only four!. So to be finishing at 3.10pm is a major relief. I can’t say she’s turned into an angel but the change in post-school behavour is remarkable. For the first time ever we actually have proper conversations about what she did at school and can enjoy an hour or two of fun time before dinner and bed routines kick in. And during this time we often bake a cake or cook dinner together. Or go to the park or visit Grandma or Pa. Quality time.
This was a cake I first baked a couple of weeks ago with F&J. Made using plums Grandpa had picked from a local Pick Your Own. My little helpers did all the plum de-stoning and cutting, stirring, whisking, dolloping etc. And Francesca was particularly proficient at the eating. That gal so loves her cake. After spending her first few years generally cake adverse, to the extent I was seriously considering DNA testing, she’s definitely making up for it now.
Another of my spelt flour experiments. And another experiment that’s really paid off. I’ve made it twice since and got the thumbs up by the family at Frannie’s recent birthday weekend. Like my Apple & Blackberry Traybake it’s pretty low in fat, low in sugar (and good sugar at that), exceptionally moist from the use of yoghurt and half a kilo of plums and has a wonderful texture from the almonds and spelt. Added to that it’s super-easy to make and bake and fab to bake with the littlies.
Being another Autumnal cake I’m entering it to our Four Seasons Food challenge, this month themed Sliding into Autumn and hosted by Anneli over at Delicieux. Also to Karen of Lavender and Lovage‘s Tea Time Treats challenge as this month it’s Flapjacks, Oats & Traybakes. To the One Ingredient Challenge since the One Ingredient happens to be Plums this month, co-hosted by Laura at How to Cook Good Food and this month by Nazima over at Franglais Kitchen. A wonderful challenge that I’ve somehow managed to not enter for quite some time, but I’m back ladies! And to Javelin Warrior’s Made with Love Mondays event as it’s a made from scratch cake. And FINALLY to the A Mummy Too‘s Recipe of the Week challenge, for my first ever time!. Oh I do like a challenge.
Spelt Flour, Plums, Almonds, Yoghurt
Great For:
Toddlers, Pre-Schoolers, Big Kids, Grown Ups, Elevensies with Coffee, Lunchboxes or Picnics, Afternoon Tea, After-School Treats, Puds and Desserts (with lashings of custard/cream/creme fraiche if you dare!), Baking with Kids.
Notes:
Try varying your fruit, it’s lovely with a mix of a plums and apples or damsons too. If you can’t source, replace the spelt flour with wholemeal.
Makes 16 squares.
Special Equipment:
1 20cm x 20cm baking or roasting tin lined with baking parchment
Plum, Spelt & Almond Cake
Ingredients Prep Time:15 mins, Cook Time: 40 mins, Total Time: 55 mins
To make 16 squares:
500g plums, washed
150g spelt flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
80g ground almonds
150g soft brown sugar
3 medium eggs, free range
100ml vegetable or sunflower oil
150ml plain yoghurt
1) Pre-heat your oven to 200ºc/180ºc fan/Gas Mark 6
2) De-stone your plums and roughly chop, set aside
3) Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder together in a bowl, stir in the ground almonds. Set aside
4) Whisk together the sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl, employ a whisker/little person to do this, whisk in the oil and yoghurt
5) Using a large metal spoon gently mix the flour into the wet mixture. Try not to over-stir.
6) Stir in most of the fruit, leaving a few pieces to scatter
7) Scrape the cake mixture into the prepared lined baking tin, scatter the remaining fruit over the top
8) Place in your hot oven for 40 minutes until golden on top, firm to touch and an inserted cake skewer comes out clean
I adore using spelt flour, love the flavour and think it would make for a perfect plum cake. Yoghurt adds a great texture as does adding oil and ground almonds. Plums of course are the final icing on the cake!
So pleased you are back entering One Ingredient, welcome back 🙂
I’m pleased to be back too, love the One Ingredient Challenge! It’s been quite a while. Spelt flour is truly wonderful. As I couldn’t source it in France I’ve only recently started baking with it, and totally impressed each time. The smell and flavour are something special too.
I can imagine how frustrating it would be to make a pick-up run at 5 PM - the traffic, the frayed nerves, the hunger. 3:10 sounds much more manageable! And I can see why everyone loves this cake - it sounds delicious studded with the fresh plums…
It’s a long old day for little ones in France. What time do kids finish in the States? Such an easy cake to make and equally tasty with a cuppa or as a dessert pud 🙂
I am another convert to spelt flour and this tray bake looks divine Louisa! What a FABULOUS entry for Tea Time Treats and also a great seasonal treat! Karen
Thanks Karen. Spelt Flour really does rock in the baking world doesn’t it! Looking forward to trying it out in bread and pastry next.
5pm, that is late isn’t for a 4 year old. I love plums in cakes, my mum bakes a mean plum cake, haven’t tried spelt flour yet, although I do have some, must yank it out and make a cake with it, yours looks delicious!
Oh you must try Spelt Flour. I’m a newbie to it’s wonders but every time I’ve baked with it I’ve been blown away by the smell, texture and taste. And so much better for you….
I really must try Spelt flour! I found you through #recipeoftheweek. 🙂
Oh do try it Wendy, you won’t be disappointed!
This sounds lovely Louisa & wonderfully seasonal. Thanks for your kind comments on my blog & for following me - welcome! Vohn x
This looks absolutely delicious! The pic of the finished dish is making my mouth water - those juicy pieces of plum look divine.
Thanks so much for linking up with #recipeoftheweek. There’s a new linky live now for this week. Please do pop over and join in 😀
PS Pinned and Stumbled! 🙂
Thanks Emily! I’ll be joining in again, have a think what to submit this week 🙂
Hi Louisa, I love spelt too. Just made a spelt apple and Roiibos tea cake . The yogurt and almonds are great additions too. Super recipe and one that is on my to make list!
I am just huntin out recipies using Spelt and Buckwheat flour. I love the look of the Plum, Spelt and Almond cake. Can you tell me is white Spelt flour or wholemeal?
Hi Jayne, it was wholewheat spelt flour I used!