Cherry, Apricot and Honey Cake

As stone fruits near the end of their season, Lucy Burton shares her honey cake recipe, which is the perfect base for any soft fruit topping

During the summer months, many growers find themselves with a bounty of produce on their hands. While this is, of course, a good problem to have, it helps to have several tried and tested recipes which can be adapted and tailored to use up whichever fruits or vegetables you have in quick supply.

This honey cake is quick to make, and also uses spelt flour, making it naturally wheat-free. While my recipe uses French apricots and cherries, it can be topped with whichever fruits you have available.

150g stone fruit

125g butter

75g light brown sugar

50g honey, plus extra for drizzling

2 eggs

Zest of 1 orange

100g spelt flour

25g teff flour

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

Cut each of the fruits in half, removing but keeping the stones. Slice any larger fruits into quarters, then set aside. Use a hammer to crack open 4-5 of the fruit stones, then remove and keep the soft kernels.

Line the base of a 7″ cake tin with baking parchment, and grease the sides lightly with butter. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cream together the butter, sugar and honey until pale and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir through the orange zest and the fruit kernels.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, teff flour, salt and baking powder. Sieve into the wet ingredients, and fold to combine. Spoon into the prepared cake tin, and level the top with a palette knife.

Arrange the fruit on top, being careful not to press them into the batter. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the fruit is soft, and the cake is golden and cooked through. Serve with an extra drizzle of honey.