The house was filled with the orange and cinnamon scent of this delicate cake. The perfect introduction to the lovely autumn season that is approaching. Divine, cloudy, moist on the inside and slightly sweet to balance the sharp sour tones of the plums in season. Paired perfectly with vanilla ice cream or whipped vanilla flavoured cream for the chilly days of October. Preferably enjoyed inside with a warm cup of tea or outside in the garden with a herbal tea after the first rainfall of the season. I hope you resonate with this and love this cake as much as I did.

piece of yellow plum cake dusted with confectioners sugar on ceramic plate

yellow plum olive oil cake dusted with confectioners sugar on tray

YELLOW PLUM OLIVE OIL CAKE

INGREDIENTS (makes 1 rectangular cake of 28 cm x 21 cm)

195 g all purpose flour
2 teaspoons (tsp) of baking powder
125 g light brown sugar
80 g good quality unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
80 ml virgin olive oil
the zest of 1 orange
the contents of half vanilla pod
¼ cinnamon stick, freshly grated or cinnamon powder
¼ tsp fine sea salt
6 yellow plums, washed, halved + pitted
For dusting: confectioners sugar

EXECUTION

Grease the rectangular form with some butter, line it with a piece of baking paper and set it aside for later.
Preheat the oven at 175°C (conventional).
In a stand or hand mixer – with the paddle attachment on – beat the softened butter for 2-3 minutes. Then add the light brown sugar. Cream it for another 7 minutes until the butter is lighter in colour and texture.
Add one egg and mix until it is completely incorporated. Then add the second egg and beat to a smooth mixture.
Add the contents of the vanilla pod, the orange zest, the grated cinnamon stick, the salt and mix until the flavours are well incorporated with the rest of ingredients. While mixing on low speed, add gradually the olive oil while pausing in between to scrape down the mixture from the sides of the bowl.
Gradually add the flour and baking powder while mixing gently with a wooden or rubber spatula until you get a smooth and homogenous batter.
Transfer the dough to the rectangular baking form and decorate with the yellow plums.
Bake the cake in preheated oven at 175°C (conventional) for 30-35 minutes until you insert a wooden skewer in the middle of the cake and it comes out clean.
Remove it from the oven and let it cool on a cooling rack. When cool, dust it with some confectioners sugar and serve.

NOTES

1: When decorating the cake with the plums make sure that the fruit is only half way dipped in the cake. In this way the fruit will still be visible after the rise of the cake in the oven.
2: Enjoy it plain or served with vanilla ice cream or vanilla flavoured whipped cream.
3: Keeps fresh in the refrigerator stored in an airtight food container.

Alexandra

August is the month when figs are in abundance - fully mature on the trees - dripping honey under the strong summer sun. It is the time when the tree shall not be watered so that the fruit is not destroyed. It is the time when we go around the tree every day to hunt for the ripest fruits collecting baskets full of it. Devouring the fruit’s sweetness during the warm afternoons paired with a glass of cold water and for the lovers with some goat cheese.

This chutney is a culinary alternative to the raw fruit, adding acidity to balance and round the fruit’s sweetness and some chili to make it slightly punchy with an elegant gourmet tone. It is also a great idea to preserve kilos of fruit if you are the lucky ones to receive the abundance of a fig tree at the end of the summer. x Alexandra

FRESH FIGS CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS (makes approximately 2 jars of 220 ml)

600 g fresh figs , washed + stems removed
50 g balsamic vinegar
50 g balsamic vinegar cream
40 g cane sugar or honey
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons (tsp) coriander seeds
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
2 thai chilies, seeds removed
1/4 tsp chili flakes
a pinch of fleur de sel
the juice of 1/2 medium sized lemon

PREPARATION

Thoroughly wash the figs and remove their stems. Then, chop them into small pieces.
In a pan or cast iron skillet, over low to medium fire, toast the coriander seeds and the brown mustard seeds until they start to pop.
Add the balsamic vinegar cream and the balsamic vinegar to the pan. Then add the sugar (or honey), the salt, the thai chilies, the cinnamon stick and let it simmer for a few minutes (2-3 min).
Add the chopped figs and the lemon juice. Stir - using a wooden spoon or spatula - and let it cook over low fire until it is caramelized and glossy. Taste the chutney and add an extra portion of chilly flakes for that extra punch.

NOTES

1: Enjoy it with blue cheese or goat cheese, or as a condiment to your roasts and oven veggies.

2: Always taste the chutney and adjust the intensity of the chili according to your liking. Keep in mind that the chili will intensify the longer you keep your chutney stored.

Need advice on canning the chutney in order to store it for a longer time? hit me up in the comments bellow!