Plum Torte
This famous cake recipe by Marian Burros was originally published in the New York Times in 1983 and was published every September until 1989 when the editors decided to stop printing it and were thus flooded with angry letters. It has remained popular over the years in large part because aside from being absolutely delicious, it is straightforward and simple. The ingredients are ones that most people have in their pantry at any given time, making it the perfect cake to throw together if you are expecting last-minute guests.
Yield: 8 servings | Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
12 Italian plums, pitted and cut in half lengthwise
Topping:
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream using an electric mixer or stand-up mixer until fluffy and light in color. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl after each, then add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Spoon batter into a springform pan and spread evenly. Arrange the plums on top of the batter, skin side down. Sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out batter-free, about 45-55 minutes.
Cook’s Note: To freeze the cake, wrap it in a double layer of foil, then transfer to a sealable plastic bag. Frozen cakes can be defrosted then reheated briefly at 300°F until warm.
