Plum crumble cake

 Pudding: plum crumble bake

Prep 5 min
Cook 50-55 min + rest
Serves 9

For the base
100g unsalted butter at room temperature, diced, plus extra to grease
250g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
1 tsp baking powder
25g light brown soft sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or the seeds from 1 pod

For the filling
400g plums, stoned and cut into quarters 
25g light brown soft sugar

For the crumble topping 
30g plain flour
50g unsalted butter at room temperature, diced
25g light brown soft sugar

To serve 
2-3 tbsp icing sugar
Double cream

First make the base. Put the butter in a bowl, sift in the flour and baking powder, add the sugar, then rub together with your fingertips until the mix is like breadcrumbs. Add the vanilla, then bring it all together into a dough. Tip on to a floured board, roll into a ball (add a little more flour if it’s on the sticky side), cover so it’s airtight and put in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Butter and line a 25cm x 20cm baking tin with greaseproof paper. Sprinkle some flour on a board, then gently roll out the dough and put in the prepared tin. Use your fingers to press it right into the edges – it will be quite soft – then prick all over with a fork and bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the crumble by rubbing together the flour, butter and sugar.

Arrange the plum quarters over the baked cake base, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10 minutes. Now sprinkle the crumble mix all over the top and bake for 20-25 minutes more, until the topping is golden and the plums soft. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature with thick cream.