½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (although naturally gluten free, if baking for someone with an intolerance to gluten, ensure you use a brand that is specifically gf, such as Doves Farm)
Pinch of salt
3 ripe plums, pitted and halved
A handful of whole hazelnuts, roughly chopped to decorate
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 170oc/150oc and place the hazelnuts on a baking tray. Bake for around 5-7 minutes until fragrant and toasted then remove from the oven to cool slightly. Place in a clean tea towel and rub together to remove the skins as best you can. Transfer the cooled hazelnuts to a food processor and blitz to a fine meal. Reweigh the ground hazelnuts to 75g – you should have a little left over which you can sprinkle over the cake when serving.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter to a smooth consistency and add the honey and vanilla paste. Beat for around 2-3 minutes until smooth then slowly add the eggs while the mixer is running. If it starts to curdle, add a little of the rice flour but don’t worry, it should come back together with the rest of the dry ingredients.
Once smooth, add the ground hazelnuts, rice flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and beat briefly on high until the mix comes together then give it a few folds by hand to ensure it is well mixed without overbeating.
Grease a 18cm round cake tin with butter and line the bottom with baking parchment before buttering the paper again. Dollop the cake mix into the tin and smooth in an even layer, then press the plum halves into the batter. Scatter with the chopped hazelnuts and place in the oven to bake for around 35 minutes until golden brown and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin then invert onto a cooling rack then back the right way up with a second rack. Leave to cool then serve in wedges with the reserved ground hazelnuts and a few dollops of crème fraiche if you like.
Recipe by Victoria Sponge Pease Pudding at http://victoriaspongepeasepudding.com/baking/plum-and-hazelnut-cake-gluten-free/