Damson Days: Spiced Damson Cakes

A further morning chill in the air, since my last autumnal post, has really confirmed the change of season for me now. I’ve already hung up the chunky turquoise snood that I made earlier in the year. And now it's a waiting game for when the temperature really drops.

Summer scents are fresh and hazy but autumn is when spices and rich, comforting perfumes flood the kitchen. Seasonal fruits, luckily, soak up these warm flavours. Another experiment from my Damson Day.

Soft, spiced sponge with a sticky damson puree. Blanketed in cream.

Makes 4 mini cakes

Ingredients

Damson Sauce
200gr damsons
60gr water
3tbsp sugar (approximately)

Spiced Sponge Cake
60gr butter
60gr sugar
1 egg
2tbsp milk
60gr self raising flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp of ground mixed spice

Method

1, Make the damson sauce first by simmering the damsons in the water for around 5minutes with the lid on, over a low-medium heat, or until they have split from their skins and softened. Break the damsons down with the back of a wooden spoon.
2, Add in the sugar and stir gently until the damson stones are visibly coming away from the flesh. Carefully taste a little to see whether you need to add a little more sugar. Pass the cooked damsons through a colander, really working as much of the sauce from the skins and stones as possible. Set this aside to cool whilst you make the sponge.
3, Preheat the oven to 170o/c and grease four dariole moulds or spray with cake release. Put these on a baking sheet ready for filling.
4, Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and pale. Beat in the egg and milk.
5, Sift in the flour, baking powder and ground mixed spice and gently fold in until combined and you have a soft smooth cake batter.
6, Add a couple of teaspoons of the damson sauce to the bottom of each mould four prepared moulds and divide the cake batter on top.
7, Bake for 15-18minutes or until golden, springy to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
8, Turn out your cakes and spoon on the rest of the damson sauce. Serve warm or cold with double cream.