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Cooking cakes outside in fires may seem like I’m taking this idea of outdoor cooking a little far. So, by all means cook it in the oven inside. But, for those with the inclination, it’s actually really wholesome fun to cook a cake in a fire – and we all need a bit of wholesome fun now and again. You’ll need a large Dutch oven or heavy-based, deep, cast-iron pot that’s at least 25–30cm (10–12in) in diameter. You’ll set it into the fire with the cake cooking inside it, so it needs to be big. Yes, there is some jeopardy involved, but life isn’t as exciting if you don’t take the odd risk. Besides, this cake, with its sticky, plum-juice-soaked almond sponge is fairly bombproof, so it’s difficult to get wrong. Just don’t burn it!
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
200g (7oz) butter, softened
6–8 ripe plums (depending on size), halved and stoned
200g (7oz) light brown soft sugar
12 sage leaves, chopped
a good pinch of sea salt
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large free-range eggs
70g (2½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
70g (2½ oz) ground almonds
double (heavy) cream, to serve
You’ll also need
a 20cm (8in) springform cake tin (pan)
a 30cm (12in) or so Dutch oven or cast-iron pot
Method
Set a large frying pan over a medium–hot fire. Add one quarter of the butter and, when it’s bubbling away, add the plum halves. Fry them for 3–4 minutes, then add one quarter of the brown sugar. Toss the plums about, then continue to cook for a further 5 minutes. Add half the chopped sage and the sea salt, then add the lemon juice and allow the contents of the pan to bubble away. You want a nice, runny caramel that coats the plums.
In a bowl, beat the remaining soft butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and then, one at a time, add the eggs. Fold in the flour and almonds.
Arrange the plums (cut-side up) and remaining sage over the base of the cake tin (pan). Pour over all the sticky caramel-y juices. Spoon the batter over the top and level it off.
Place several 2–3cm pebbles on the base of your Dutch oven or heavy pot and nestle it down in a clearing in the fire to get hot. After 5 minutes, lift it out, take off the lid and set the cake tin down in the centre of the pot over the pebbles. Replace the lid. Return the pot to the clearing. Heap some large embers on top of the pot and try to make sure there’s a nice general heat around the sides as well, but don’t go crazy – if the embers are too close to the walls of the oven, the cake will get too hot too quickly and burn. Leave the cake to bake, rotating the pot regularly for 30–45 minutes, or until the tip of your knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Carefully lift the cake tin out of the pot and allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before carefully turning it upside down and releasing it from the tin. Serve with some double (heavy) cream.
From Outside - By Gill Meller
Published by Quadrille Publishing
Photography by Andrew Montgomery
