Plum and almond loaf

Preheat the oven to 160C, gas mark 3. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Put the flour and ground almonds in a large bowl, then add the butter, sugar, eggs and almond extract. Beat together with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy.


Chop the plums and stir through evenly, spoon
into the tin and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.


For the topping, cut the plums into wedges. Just before serving the cake, warm the jam, then sieve and brush over the top of the cake. Add the plum wedges and brush again. Scatter over the almonds to serve.