Cardamom Hazelnut Plum Cake

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 35 mins | Course: Dessert | Servings: 9

Super moist plum cake with warm spices, hazelnut flour and bright orange zest. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream for an easy and great tasty summer cake. Always inspired by the lovely Deb at Smitten Kitchen https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/dimply-plum-cake/ 

8 Tbsp butter, softened

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

⅓ cup olive oil

1 orange, zested

1 ½ tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup hazelnut flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon

8 medium purple plums, halved and pitted

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray oil in an 8” square pan and set aside.  Cream the butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer. Add in the eggs, oil, orange zest and vanilla mixing until incorporated. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the flour, hazelnut flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom and cinnamon together. Pour into the butter mixture and stir with a large rubber scraper by hand until just incorporated. Pour into your prepared baking dish. Top with the beautiful plum halves, placing some up and some down looks nice. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, without crumbs. Allow to cool and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Orange Whipped Cream:

½ cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp brown sugar

¼ tsp orange zest

1 Tbsp orange liqueur (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Whip cream and brown sugar to soft peaks, add in the zest and orange liqueur (or swap it out for a tsp of vanilla) whip a few more times to incorporate.