Poached plum and ginger sour cream cake

1.Make poached plums. Stir sugar, wine, the water, cinnamon and star anise in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; bring to the boil.

2.Add plums, reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until plums are just tender. Remove plums from syrup; cool. Reserve syrup in pan.

3.Preheat oven to 170°C/340°F. Grease deep 20cm (8-inch) ring pan.

4.Beat butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined.

5.Stir in sour cream and sifted flours and spices. Spread mixture into pan. Bake 15 minutes.

6.Remove pan from oven; and quickly arrange plums on top of cake, cut-side up. Sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake about a further 50 minutes. Stand cake in pan 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.

7.Meanwhile, bring reserved syrup to the boil. Boil, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until syrup is reduced by half and has thickened slightly; remove cinnamon stick and star anise.

8.To serve, drizzle warm cake with warm syrup.