By Marian Burros
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes, plus cooling time
- Rating
- 4(172)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Featured in: DE GUSTIBUS; Once More (Sigh), The Plum Torte
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Ingredients
Yield:8 servings
- ½cup unsalted butter
- ¾cup sugar
- 1cup unbleached flour, sifted
- 1teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch salt (optional)
- 2eggs
- 24halves pitted purple plums
- Sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon for topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
350 calories; 13 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 42 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 81 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step
2
Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs, and beat well.
Step
3
Spoon the batter into a spring form of eight, nine or 10 inches. Place the plum halves, skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
Step
4
Bake one hour. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream.
Step
5
To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.
- To make an apple-cranberry torte, follow directions for plum torte but peel, seed, quarter and slice two or three large baking apples. Arrange ½ cup of raw cranberries over the batter and top with the apple slices. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon; squeeze ½ to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over the apples. Sprinkle with sugar.
Ratings
4
out of 5
172
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Cooking Notes
Rikki
I love this torte, have been making it for ---- maybe 30 years, every late summer when the Italian plums come out.
But, two things I never understood, and so I do it differently. I cream in the eggs before the flour. And I put the plums cut side up, so all the yummy juices stay on top.
(Also, I line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. And in the hot hot weather, I take the butter out of the refrigerator only when I start pitting the plums, measuring dry ingredients, etc.)
Susan
For many more notes and insights, see the same recipe here: ®ion=plum%20torte&rank=0
Nikki George
I always make the apple cranberry variation during the fall/winter.
I have not had this problem.
Helen Gibson
Just read that Charlotte Mendelson makes this cake using frozen berries from the market..sometimes adding ground almonds or polenta and vanilla sugar.
YOUNGT2729
I use up the blackberries when they don’t get eaten. My family finds it delicious. I remember when the recipe said half a cup to 1 cup of sugar
Melanie
I have to say I was totally underwhelmed by this recipe. If this is The NY Times most requested recipe, I am clueless as to why. To me, it’s more appropriate as a coffee cake than as a dessert, but even then, I’ve had far better similar types of coffee cakes in my lifetime. And it’s not my idea of a torte at all. I followed the recipe to a T, BTW.
Ruth
Good, easy, Ted loved it! Used plucots and needed only four or five.
Helen Gibson
Just read that Charlotte Mendelson makes this cake using frozen berries from the market..sometimes adding ground almonds or polenta and vanilla sugar.
Emily
I cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs, then mix in dry ingredients. Have made with pears (a few raspberries for color), strawberries, and plums. Use lemon and cinnamon sugar on top. 9 inch round cake pan with loose bottom works as does springform pan. Parchment too.
Susan
For many more notes and insights, see the same recipe here: ®ion=plum%20torte&rank=0
Leslie
I have made this twice now and absolutely love it - my variations...1. I used whole wheat flour instead and it was delicious, would never have known it was whole wheat. Just add 5 - 10 mins extra cook time.2. I added peaches and nectarines with the plums because I had them in the fridge. They added a great extra fruit element. 3. I put a couple pads of butter on top of the exposed fruit skin when it had 10 mins left... added amazing flavor!
Elaine
Haven't eaten it yet, but did notice that this is a VERY simple cake formula. No vanilla, no lemon zest. I buttered the pan, but did not flour it. Omission of that step sounded dangerous to me.
Elaine
Best recipe ever, and among the easiest. I bake it in a pretty 10-inch pie plate, and it takes exactly 11 small Italian prune plums to cover the top.
Michelle
I was disappointed...it tasted like muffins to me rather than a cake or torte. The ingredients are pretty muffin-like, the main difference being use of a springform pan rather than muffin tins. Anyone else notice this?
Janet
I strongly prefer the almond flour variation: use 1/2 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 cup almond flour. Add some almons extract and a little vanilla. Works beautifully with the original plums, blueberries, apples, and probably lts of other fruit I haven't tried. Nothing like a muffin!
Louise
The plum torte was fabulous, but when I tried the apple-cranberry variation I was disappointed. Too dry, not so much flavor.
Nikki George
I always make the apple cranberry variation during the fall/winter.
I have not had this problem.
Rikki
I love this torte, have been making it for ---- maybe 30 years, every late summer when the Italian plums come out.
But, two things I never understood, and so I do it differently. I cream in the eggs before the flour. And I put the plums cut side up, so all the yummy juices stay on top.
(Also, I line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. And in the hot hot weather, I take the butter out of the refrigerator only when I start pitting the plums, measuring dry ingredients, etc.)
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