Plum and Cinnamon Gateau Recipe

350g/12 oz butter or margarine, softened
175 g/6 oz caster (superfine) sugar
3 eggs
150 g/5 oz self-raising (self-rising) flour
5 ml/1 tsp baking powder
5 ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
350g/12 oz/2 cups icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted
5 ml/1 tsp finely grated orange rind

100 g/4 oz/1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely ground
300g/11 oz/1 medium can plums, drained

Method:

Cream together half the butter or margarine and the caster sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, then fold in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Spoon into a greased and lined 23 cm/9 in square cake tin (pan) and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the tin and leave to cool.

Beat the remaining butter or margarine until soft, then mix in the icing sugar and grated orange rind. Cut the cake in half horizontally, then sandwich the two halves together with two-thirds of the icing. Spread most of the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake. Press the nuts round the sides of the cake and arrange the plums attractively on top. Pipe the remaining icing decoratively round the top edge of the cake.