Upside-down Italian plum cake

Serves 8

45g unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 plums, cut in half, stones removed

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

120g butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla paste

3/4 cup milk

Grease and flour an 18cm round ring cake tin. Line the bottom with baking paper. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and sugar together. Simmer the mixture for about 3 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, and allow to cool completely. Once the sugar mixture has cooled, arrange the halved plums, cut side down, on the bottom of the tin. Preheat the oven to 180C. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar together, until pale and thick. Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Scrape the sides as needed. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and milk, and stir until just combined. Pour the cake batter over the plums. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan, on a wire cooling rack, for 30 minutes. Invert and turn out.