• 200 g (7 oz) butter
• 160 g (5 oz) sugar
• 4 eggs (70 g)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g (3½ oz) plain flour
• 125 g (4½ oz) self-raising flour
• pinch of salt
• 12 blood plums or 20 apricots
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Heat oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter and paper a baking tray or pie dish measuring 30 cm by 20 cm (12 in by 8 in), or a 30 cm (12 in) diameter springform baking tin.

Cream butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Sift both flours and salt together. Beat flour into batter until well mixed. Cut plums or apricots around their circumference, twist apart and remove stones. Arrange fruit, cut side up, in neat rows on top of batter.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a thin skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and dust with icing sugar through a fine sieve. Serve warm or cold straight from the pan, cutting across into slices.

Or dust with extra icing sugar and serve with fresh cream.