Autumn hedgerow cake

Scrumptious with a mug of tea or delicious as a cosy pudding, this cake from Miranda Gore Browne is easy to make, jewel-like and beautiful.

Ingredients

You will need

Mixing bowl, peeler, 9-inch cake tin, non-stick baking paper, palette knife

• 2 pears
• 3 plums
• A handful of blackberries or elderberries
• ½ a large baking apple
• 180g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 225g self-raising flour
• A pinch of salt
• 80ml milk
• 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar to sprinkle on top

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
2. Cream together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a bowl.
3. Add the eggs and beat after each one until creamy and combined.
4. Stir in the flour and salt, and then fold in the milk.
5. Peel, core and slice the pears and the apple, destone and slice the plums.
6. Line a 9-inch cake tin with non-stick baking paper and scrape in the cake mixture, smooth with a palette knife.
7. Lay all of the fruit on top, sprinkle with the soft light brown sugar and then bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until pale golden and springy to touch.
8. If making for a pudding, serve warm with custard, cream or ice cream.