Caramelised Greengage Cake

These little green gems are unique in flavour and often something thought to be eaten raw, don’t get me wrong they’re amazing as is but have a go roasting them especially if you have some that are a little too ripe or you have an excess. When roasted, they are sticky, sweet and very caramelised, perfect with granola and yoghurt for breakfast, with ice cream for a quick dessert, served with blue cheese on a cheese board or dotted in a cake like this one.

This cake is gluten free and not too sweet as the caramelised greengages add a sticky sweetness to every odd mouthful. Perfect served warm from the oven with a dollop of coconut yoghurt or whipped cream.

Keeps for 4 days…if it lasts that long. Greengages are only around for a short time so once they go, swap for another roasted fruit that is in season. Try apricot, nectarine, plum, apple and pear, they all work really well.

Ingredients

12 greengages, cut in half, stones removed

200g butter, softened

150g caster sugar

4 free-range eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g ground almonds

50g rice flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cardamom (optional)

Pinch sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 160ºC fan bake. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.

Place the greengage halves on a lined baking tray and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Once caramelised, take out of the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the cake. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, along with the vanilla.

Gradually fold in the ground almonds, rice flour, baking soda, ground cardamom and salt. 

Evenly spread half of the cake batter into the lined cake tin, dot half of the roasted greengages evenly on top of the batter and repeat with remaining cake batter and greengages and press down lightly.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the cake is golden in colour and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for around 20 minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack.