Plums are one of my favourite fruits. Their jammy sweetness lends itself to so many flavour combinations, but I particularly love to combine them with the tangy citrus of orange.

I’ve made many variations on plum cakes over the years, including my go-to spiced plum loaf that I will have to share with you all at some point. How many recipes can you say that you eagerly wait all year to make? And it really is best to wait for the plum season and the loveliest plums you can track down. Whilst you can make tasty things from out of season supermarket plums, their firmer texture and mild flavour makes it nowhere near as yummy.

Plum season runs from late summer to early autumn, with August being the peak month. so now is the perfect time to whip up these delicious buns, which can be made vegan or vegetarian depending on whether or not you use eggs or ground flaxseed as the binding agent.

Plum and orange buns

(makes 12)

1 x 12-hole bun tin, lined with paper cases

150g dairy-free margarine (I used Pure, but any will do)

150g caster sugar

3tbsp ground flaxseed stirred into 6tbsp water OR 2 eggs, beaten

1tsp vanilla extract

1tsp ground cinnamon

185g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

75g oats

300g plums, stoned and sliced into chunky slices

Zest of 1 orange

To decorate:

100g icing sugar, sifted

Juice of half an orange

10g flaked almonds

1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan/gas mark 4
2. Cream together your margarine and sugar until pale and fluffy
3. Add in the flaxseed/water mix or your beaten eggs
4. Stir in the vanilla extract
5. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon
6. Stir gently to combine and then add the oats, orange zest and two thirds of the sliced plums
7. Spoon mixture evenly into the paper cases and bake for around 30mins. Keep an eye on them as there will always be variation between ovens and you may need a little longer. Use a skewer to check they’re cooked; it should be clean when inserted through the middle of a bun.
8. Remove the buns from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack
9. Once cool, combine the orange juice and icing sugar to make a quick icing and drizzle generously over the buns. Sprinkle on a few flaked almonds whilst the icing is wet.

Both version of the buns are best eaten fresh, with the vegan ones keeping for up to 2 days and the veggie ones for up to 4 days.