Weekend bake

Take time out with a warming slice and a cuppa

Pear, plum & ginger crumble cake

SERVES 12 READY IN 1HR

INGREDIENTS ● 150G UNSALTED BUTTER ● 100G BLACK TREACLE ● 100G GOLDEN SYRUP ● 275G SELF-RAISING FLOUR ● 2TSP GROUND MIXED SPICE ● 2TSP GROUND CINNAMON ● 2 EGGS, BEATEN ● 3 MEDIUM RIPE PEARS, PEELED CORED AND SLICED ● 3 BALLS OF STEM GINGER, ROUGHLY CHOPPED, 2TBSP SYRUP RESERVED ● 3 RIPE PLUMS, DESTONED AND SLICED FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING ● 40G BUTTER, SOFTENED AND CUT INTO CUBES ● 30G DEMERARA SUGAR ● 75G PLAIN FLOUR

1 Gently melt the butter with the treacle and golden syrup in a pan and set aside to cool a little until lukewarm. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/ Gas 4. Lightly grease a 20cm square cake tin and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.

2 To make the crumble topping, rub together all the ingredients until they look like breadcrumbs and set aside while you make the sponge.

3 In a large bowl, sift the flour with the mixed spice and ground cinnamon, making a well in the centre. Mix the eggs into the syrup mixture and pour into the spiced flour and mix well. Stir in the pear slices and stem ginger.

4 Pour the mixture into the cake tin, top with the plums and crumble topping. Bake for 45-50 mins. Cool in the tin and, while still warm, drizzle with stem ginger syrup.