Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease the sides and base of a 9" (23 cm) round pan or an 8" (20 cm) square pan, line the base with parchment paper, then lightly flour the sides and tap out any excess flour.
• Prepare the fruit: wash and cut fresh fruit into chunks or slices as desired, then drain. Toss 500 g fruit with 2 tbsp sugar if you want them sweeter and set aside. If using canned fruit, rinse and drain well to remove syrup and do not add the 2 tbsp sugar.
• In a large bowl, place 100 g softened unsalted butter, 180 g castor sugar, and 50 g sour cream (or the same amount of low-fat yogurt). Using an electric mixer, cream these together on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
• Lightly beat the 3 large eggs and ensure they are at room temperature. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs gradually in 2–3 additions, drizzling them in and beating until each addition is incorporated. The batter may look slightly curdled—this is normal.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest, and mix briefly to combine.
• Sift together 210 g all-purpose (plain) flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder directly over the bowl. Fold or mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just incorporated and the batter is smooth—do not overmix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange the prepared fruit on top of the batter without pressing the fruit into the batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 60–70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert the cake onto a wire rack, remove the parchment, and allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving.