Easy Plum Cake (Classic Plum Torte)
This easy plum cake recipe, also known as the famous New York Times plum torte, bakes buttery batter with ripe plums and a cinnamon sugar topping. A moist and simple dessert, perfect for summer gatherings or an afternoon coffee.
I look forward to making this Italian plum cake recipe every summer when plums are in season. The batter is simple—just flour, sugar, butter, and eggs—but when you tuck ripe plums on top, the cake turns golden, tender, and full of sweet-tart flavor. A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar adds a delicate crunch with every bite.
This dessert is sometimes called a plum torte, made famous by The New York Times from 1983 to 1995, but in my kitchen it’s simply the cake that disappears in minutes. I’ve baked it for years with Italian prune plums, but any good ripe plums work beautifully. Serve it warm with tea or cool with ice cream—it’s always a hit.
Baking with Italian Prune Plums
Italian prune plums are small, oval-shaped, and less juicy than larger varieties, which makes them perfect for baking. When baked, they turn jammy and sweet without flooding the cake with too much liquid. That’s why they’ve been the classic choice for plum cakes and tortes for decades.
If you can’t find them, substitute with other firm plums. Just avoid overly juicy ones like red-fleshed plums, as they can make the cake soggy. I often freeze prune plums at the end of the season so I can bake this cake even in winter.
How to make Plum Cake (Plum Torte) Step by Step
The recipe is very simple. There is no liquid but created such a moist cake with just right amount of sweetness and tartness. You will love the crunch subtle cinnamon sugar texture on every bite, too.
Sift the dry ingredients together first.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs.
Gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined—don’t overmix.
Spread the batter in a greased 9-inch springform pan. The batter will be thick, but it will rise around the plums as it bakes. Arrange the halved plums skin side up across the surface. They’ll sink slightly as the cake bakes, creating jammy fruit pockets.
Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the plums. This bakes into a crackly, caramelized crust.
Bake at 350°F until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Serve it warm, cooled to room temperature, or even the next day—the flavor deepens as it rests. I like a slice just as it is, but if a cup of tea or coffee makes you happier, go for it. In my house, the whole cake usually vanishes in about 30 minutes.
I also think peaches would be a great swap for plums if you want to try something different. In fact, I have a recipe for Peach Kuchen (German peach cake) that’s wonderful served warm. Both cakes are simple, homey, and perfect for enjoying with family.
Easy Plum Cake (Classic Plum Torte)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup ((113 g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (175 g + 25 g) sugar, divided
- 2 eggs
- 12-14 Italian prune plums or purple plums , halved and pitted (about 500–600 g)
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) ground cinnamon
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In an electric mixer, cream butter and the 3/4 cup sugar. Add eggs and continue to beat until fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Spread the cake batter in a 9-inch greased springform pan. Cover the top with the plums halves, skin side up.
- Mix the cinnamon with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center tests clean with a toothpick. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, or serve while still warm.
I made this recipe from NY times. They said 24 plum halves. Its made zero sense. How would I get 24 on there. Then I found this recipe. Did NY times make a typo? They also said to bake 1 hour which made no sense. It was done in 1/2 the time. The sugar just made the top hard. Your recipe seems to make much more sense. But I do question the plums. It’s not easy to get such little plums. And why didn’t your sugar melt and harden?
Hi Michelle
Sprinkling sugar on top of the plums creates a sweet, crunchy layer that doesn’t melt, adding a unique texture to the plum cake. Italian prune plums, though sometimes hard to find, are typically available in the summer and give the best flavor. You can try other plum varieties, but the taste is always best with prune plums.
I want to thank you so much for taking the time to put this NYT recipe out here, I wanted it so bad but was discouraged because frankly I can’t afford to subscribe, too many other things have to be cared for. This came out wonderfully and I didn’t even grease my pan, it was perfect! Thank you!
My son made this tonight and wow! Absolutely delicious. This recipe is a keeper and we are checking out your website and youtube channel. Thank you for giving us a new fall recipe. And we are freezing prune plumbs so we will be enjoying this during the winter too.
The cake was delicious! The only thing is the instructions say to put the plums skin side down, but the picture show skin side up. Which is it? I did skin side up for presentation. None the less delicious!
So happy to hear that you liked this plum cake. The plum halves should be placed skin side up. I corrected it. Thanks.
This torte is fabulous! Love it!!
I have pitted halved plums in the freezer. (Frozen individually on a cookie sheet first), would they work with this recipe?
Verna
I’m glad you enjoyed it. If you’re using frozen plums, ensure they are fully thawed and drained. I recommend lightly dipping the cut side of the plum in flour before placing it on the cake batter. The flour will help absorb any extra moisture. Hope this helps. Thank you!
This was really good. I added a half teaspoon almond emulsion because I wanted an almond flavor that day. Other than that I made it as written. The almond was a good addition if you like that flavor. My family wasn’t to keen on the plums (skins) but I loved them. Today I am making it with peaches.
That’s great! I am so happy that you liked it. Peaches will be great as well. Thanks for the comment.
This is an excellent cake. Easy to make and delicious. I’ve made it with plumbs and with mangos. Both turned out great
Wellllllll, in the oven now, but I lined 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper, dummy me I followed the recipe and put the eggs in with the flour , thought, strange? But so I read comment after too late, so I added two more eggs to sugar/ butter mixture,and blended in the flour mixture that has two eggs in it, so we will see? Four eggs in total. Test on hubby.
your printed recipe leaves out when to add the eggs, and it says “ungreased’ pan, while other instructions say greased.
It should be a greased pan. The 2 eggs should be added after the butter is creamed with sugar.
The recipe says to place the plums skin side down, but the photos show them cut side down. Does it matter?
It should be the cut side down. Thanks
This dish looks so delightfully flavorful!
I love how beautiful fruits are in the summer. This cake looks fabulous.
Love plum cake! Such wonderful flavor, don’t you think? Thanks for this!
I don’t have a spring form pan – do you think a pie pan will work?
Yes, it should work fine. You might have hard time taking the entire cake out of the pan, so I would present the cake sitting in a pan.
Wow, that looks great. I’ll have to try it once I get a real oven again.