The combination of delicately flavored vanilla cake with tangy, juicy plums and nutty hazelnut streusel is divine in this simple coffee cake. Serve in big wedges with a fork.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

For the topping:

• 85 g/3 oz hazelnuts
• 85 g/3 oz all-purpose flour
• 55 g/2 oz butter, cubed
• 55 g/2 oz demerara sugar

For the cake:

• 110 g/4 oz butter, at room temperature
• 100 g/3 oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 75 g/2½ oz self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• About 1½ fresh ripe plums, unpeeled, halved and pitted

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas mark 5. Grease a 20-cm/8-inch springform cake tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.

First make the topping. Process half the nuts in a food processor until finely ground. Chop the remaining nuts. Set aside. In a clean bowl, rub together the flour, ground hazelnuts and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and chopped nuts. Set aside.

To make the cake, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour over the mixture, then fold in. Stir in the vanilla. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, smoothing the top with the back of the spoon. Top with the plum halves, cut-side facing downwards. Sprinkle the topping over the plums and bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before serving.