Plum Cake

Extra-virgin olive oil adds moistness and a fruity flavour to this basic yellow cake. Take advantage of an abundance of mixed summer berries as a colourful topping when paired with freshly made whipped mascarpone cream. This moist, lemony plum cake needs little more than a dusting of confectioners' sugar to top it. If you like, though, a dollop of sour cream is a delicious accompaniment.

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. sea salt
½ cup Erythritol Gold, packed
½ cup Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Granular)
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. lemon zest, finely grated
¼ cup sour cream
3 plums, halved, pitted, and cut into eighths

Garnish:
Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered)

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Butter an 8x2" or a 9" cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups flour, baking soda, and salt.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated; beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Beat in half the flour mixture, then sour cream. Add remaining flour mixture; mix just until combined.

Spread batter into pan and smooth top with a knife. In a bowl, toss plums with 2 Tbsp. flour and sprinkle over batter.

Bake until cake is golden, about 30 minutes; loosely tent with foil and bake until cake pulls away from side of pan and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes more. Let cake cool completely in pan. Run knife around cake edge and remove cake from pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Makes 10 servings.