Last week we got to enjoy the return of new Great British Bake Off to our screens. I’m not going to get into the details regarding the changes to the show, new crew etc. One thing I will mention though. I didn’t know what to expect but after last week’s show I was really pleasantly surprised and happy to see that the entire concept of the show remained the same (phew!). 🙂 I am also warming up to new judge Prue and think Sandi & Noel will fit perfectly fine too (they just need to relax a bit and go with it) 🙂 Ok, that’s me done now lol!
Anyway, inspired by the show (one of the challenges was to bake a cake containing fruit) but also inspired by the change of seasons, I decided to bake this wonderfully moist and scrummy Italian Plum & Almond Cake with Amaretti Crunch. It was an absolute hit with the entire family (even though boys ended up digging out the plums as they do with all my fruity bakes but what do they know). 😉
This quick and easy little bake is full of almonds that make this cake wonderfully moist. Gorgeous British plums and addition of some lemon juice and zest provides a bit of tartness to otherwise sweet cake. What can I say, it is soo good! And do I need to mention Amaretti Crunch? It is so yummy so definitely worth buying some Amaretti biscuits just for that (Lidl tend to stock them during their Italian weeks). Sprinkle of icing sugar and you have got a perfect cake to go with your afternoon tea or coffee, scoop of vanilla ice cream and you got yourself delicious dessert! Perfect!
If you like bakes with almonds in why not try my White Chocolate & Almond Blondies with Raspberries they are oh so yummy and might make a nice change from regular brownies. Also with courgette season still in full swing this Best Ever Chocolate Courgette Cake is a must to try too!
Italian Plum & Almond Cake with Amaretti Crunch
Ingredients
- 190g plain flour
- 55g ground almonds
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 125ml sunflower or vegetable oil
- 125ml milk
- juice and zest from one lemon
- 145g caster sugar
- couple of drops of almond extract (can be left out)
- approx 8-10 plums (halved and pitted)
- 60g amaretti biscuits (crushed) or more if you'd like more crunch
- 20g unsalted butter (softened)
- I used rectangular baking tin 28x19cm (lightly greased and bottom lined with baking paper)
Amaretti Crunch
Instructions
- All the ingredients should be at room temperature.
- Sieve flour and baking powder and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together egg, milk, oil, zest & lemon juice, sugar and almond extract (if using). Make sure you whisk only until combined, do not over mix.
- Add ground almonds, sieved flour and baking powder and mix gently with wet ingredients only until combined.
- Pour the cake batter onto prepared baking tin and arrange plum halves (cut side up) on top of the batter.
- In a small bowl mixed crushed amaretti biscuits with softened butter (you will get quite a sticky mixture) and dot it evenly over the top of the cake.
- Bake in the oven preheated to 180C for about 50 min or until the skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Cool and serve sprinkled with some icing sugar or slightly warm with vanilla ice cream!
- Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.
Pin For Later!
I’m sharing my Italian Plum & Almond Cake with Amaretti Crunch with the following pages:
Baking Crumbs hosted by Angela over at Only Crumbs Remain.
The Great Bloggers Bake Off 2017Â hosted by Jenny at Mummy Mishaps
Cook Blog Share hosted this week by Monika at Everyday Healthy Recipes and Kirsty at Hijacked By Twins
Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by Corina at Searching for Spice
Brilliant Blog Posts hosted by Vicki at Honest Mum Blog
Recipe of the Week hosted by Emily at A Mummy Too
Simple and in Season hosted by Katie at Feeding Boys
 
  
32 Comments
I have pinned this for later it looks absolutely delicious.
September 4, 2017 at 4:27 pmJacqui recently posted…Mr.B’s Award Winning Rhubarb Chutney
Thanks Jacqui! 🙂 x
September 5, 2017 at 8:50 amThis looks delicious! My mum has a plum tree so I think I’ll have to make this recipe myself – if only to stop my husband eating about 5 plums a day!
September 4, 2017 at 8:58 pmThanks so much Cat! 🙂 This cake definitely puts plums to good use and is pretty yummy. Maybe your hubby will be ok to have his 5 a day in a cake this time lol 🙂 x
September 4, 2017 at 9:08 pmwhat a great bake and what gorgeous photos! #gbbobloggers2017
September 4, 2017 at 9:42 pmThank you 🙂 x
September 5, 2017 at 8:50 amooooh this sounds gorgeous! all the flavours work so well together and I love the sound of the added crunch to your cake. I also felt the same abbot the GBBBO and I am looking forward to tonights episode
September 5, 2017 at 7:19 amthank you for linking up to #GBBOBloggers2017 x
Thanks so much Jenny! I was really happy I managed to link up on time this week (just) lol. Looking forward to baking along as much as I can 🙂 x
September 5, 2017 at 8:45 amI absolutely love the sound of this Jo, the name alone was enough to draw me in, and then I saw your images and read your recipe! Absolutely gorgeous! Thankyou for sharing with #BakingCrumbs,
September 5, 2017 at 2:50 pmAngela x
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain recently posted…Homemade Blackberry & Pear Jam
Thanks so much Angela! 🙂 Really pleased I finally managed to join your new linky 🙂 x
September 6, 2017 at 9:48 amThis looks so tasty Cat! The almond reminds me of a bear claw. Yum! I love almond in desserts or even better in breakfast cakes 🙂 I’ve already pinned it!
September 6, 2017 at 1:32 amJennifer @ Because Food Is Love recently posted…Pineapple Cucumber Green Smoothie
Thank you 🙂 Ground almonds make this fruity cake super moist which is an added bonus 🙂 I think slice of this cake with morning coffee would be lovely. I’m all for cakes for breakfast too 🙂 x
September 6, 2017 at 11:57 amThis sounds gorgeous! I love the flavours in it although I imagine my family would also try to pick the plums out! thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
September 6, 2017 at 9:14 amThanks Corina 🙂 Both my boys love “plain white cake” even here with addition of almonds but fruit in it not so much lol. More for me and the hubby 🙂 x
September 6, 2017 at 9:17 amThis cake is fabulous, I love baking and cooking with fruit. I especially like the addition of the biscuits on top:) #CookBlogShare
September 6, 2017 at 11:28 amMonika Dabrowski recently posted…#CookBlogShare Week #36 Plus 4 Courgette Recipes
Thanks Monika 🙂 Little bit of amaretti crunch goes really nicely here 🙂
September 6, 2017 at 11:54 amThis is a combination of some of my favourite things! I really want to make this one it looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for the recipe #brillblogposts x
September 8, 2017 at 7:15 amMaria | passion fruit, paws and peonies recently posted…Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala
Really love this cake – I think it’s better than quite a few of the bake off contestants’ bakes – such a brilliant concept and looks amazing! Any chance you could pop a slice in a jiffy bag for me? 😉 Eb x
September 9, 2017 at 8:59 pmEb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie recently posted…Lentil Shepherd’s Pie plus Clearspring Giveaway worth £80!
Thanks Eb, that is so sweet of you 🙂 I shall get my carrier pigeon on the case and send a slice your way 🙂 x
September 10, 2017 at 6:33 pmThis looks absolutely gorgeous! I adore plums in cakes, so yummy 🙂
September 10, 2017 at 7:16 pmKat (The Baking Explorer) recently posted…Nutella Cake
Thanks Kat! I love this cake and the sharpness that come from plums and cuts through all the sweetness. x
September 11, 2017 at 10:18 amThat looks like a gorgeously light cake, and perfect now we are heading into autumn …
September 10, 2017 at 9:40 pmTracy recently posted…GBBO week 2 – sandwich biscuits: cobnut and chocolate viennese biscuits
Thanks Tracy 🙂 It is exactly that! Perfect autumn comfort food without too much guilt 🙂
September 11, 2017 at 10:16 amThis cake looks wonderful and is now on my “must bake this” list.
September 12, 2017 at 10:55 amThanks so much Lesley! 🙂 x Hope you like it!
September 12, 2017 at 11:28 amOooh! Such a gorgeous looking cake Jo. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the Italian week at Lidl. Pinning for later. 🙂
September 12, 2017 at 11:50 amThanks Julie! I LOVE Amaretti biscuits and always stock up on those at Lidl, needs must! lol x
September 12, 2017 at 11:59 amThis sounds yummy! I’ve pinned for later. I love almonds in cakes 🙂 x
September 12, 2017 at 8:43 pmThank you! 🙂 Same here, big fan of almonds and how moist they make cakes. x
September 13, 2017 at 10:23 amI am pinning this for later to make a me safe version of this (not sharing this with the Peachicks! LOL!) looks gorgeous x
October 1, 2017 at 9:32 amMidge @ Peachicks’ Bakery recently posted…Roasted Squash, Kale & Grapefruit Salad #InternationalVegetarianWeek
Thank you Midge 😊 I hope you like it! I’m sure Peachicks will find the way to change mummy’s mind 😀 x
October 1, 2017 at 11:04 amThis is exactly the kind of bake I adore… I really love your idea of putting the amaretti crunch on top too – inspired! Thanks for joining in with this month’s round of Simple and in Season.
October 2, 2017 at 4:49 pmKatie Bryson recently posted…10 Quick & Easy Bagel Topping Ideas