Nici Wickes: Plum & coconut vanilla cake

Moist, heavily scented with vanilla and deliciously fruity, this cake is beyond good!
Makes 1 x 24cm square cake
 
140g butter, softened
1 ¼  cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 cup ground almonds
2 heaped tbsps flour (can use GF)
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp vanilla extract
10-12 smallish plums, halved and pitted
2 tsps lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp extra caster sugar
½ cup coconut flakes
 

Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and line 24CM cake tin, leaving plenty of overhang of baking paper as this assists with removing cake once cooked.
Beat butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Stir in sifted dry ingredients and vanilla and mix until just combined.
Scrape batter into cake tin and smooth the top. Gently press plums, skin side up, all over the batter. Sprinkle with lemon juice, then cinnamon, then extra sugar.
Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and inserted skewer comes out clean, gently sprinkling over coconut flakes at 30 minutes.
Cool in tin until just warm then gently remove, using baking paper to lift it out. Cool on a rack.
Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.