Plum (or whatever you like) upside down cake

This is an oldie but a goodie recipe – it’s not fancy, but we don't really do fancy anything. Certainly not cake. It’s easy and tastes great and isn’t that enough? Use pear wedges, banana slices or even canned pineapple rings (retro!) if you’ve missed the plums already. Ours were a bit squidgy to begin with, hence the juicy carnage.

SERVES 6-8

60g unsalted butter, melted

90g (¼ cup) golden syrup or treacle

125ml (½ cup) milk

1 large egg, beaten

125g plain flour

½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

 ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

large pinch ground cloves

125g (⅔ cup, lightly packed) brown sugar

Topping 

60g unsalted butter

100g ((½ cup, lightly packed) brown sugar

8 (about 520g) medium-sized freestone plums

Preheat the oven to 165˚C, fan-forced. 

For the topping, melt the butter and sugar together in a small saucepan, stirring until smooth. Pour into a 21cm round non-stick cake tin. Cut the plums in half, remove the stones, then place them, cut side down, over the top. Set aside.

Whisk together the butter, golden syrup, milk and egg in a bowl until smooth, Sift the flour, soda and spices into a large bowl, then whisk through the sugar. Add the butter mixture, then whisk until a smooth, thin-ish batter forms. Pour over the top of the plums in the tin, then bake for about 55 minutes or until a cake tester withdraws clean. Cool in the tin, then carefully invert onto a large plate to serve.

Want more? Oh, OK. Here’s a sticky sauce to slather over the top, strictly for when you have one of those ‘f$%^ the world and f$%^ the cardiologist’ moments.

Combine 150g brown sugar, 150g butter and 300ml pouring cream in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until smooth and thickened.

---