Simple Plum Cake (Plum Torte)
This simple plum cake (plume torte) is one of the all-time popular recipes from NY Times. The cake is made with Italian prune plums, but you can replace with different kind of plums. It’s simple, easy, and so good with a cup of tea or vanilla ice cream.
Summer plums are so great, aren’t they? I can eat a dozen in one sitting as long as they are sweet and juicy.
Out of all kinds of plums, I like Italian prune plums. They are perfect to bake with. Here is one recipe that I really love. It is a plum cake made with those Italian plums.
The original recipe was featured in NY times from 1983 to 1995. It must have been requested every year until the food editor told its reader to cut out the recipe, laminate it, and put it on the refrigerator door.
Italian Prune Plums
How to make Plum Cake (Plum Torte)
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…
Mix the wet ingredients…
Then combine…
Batter goes to the greased spring form pan, and place the plums halves (seed removed).
Finally sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top. Bake~!
It will turn out like this… hopefully!
I made it, so I take the biggest piece first before anyone. The cake was still warm, just the way I like it.
Yum…! So delicious!
If partnering a cup of tea or coffee would make you happier, go for it. I am just happy without anything.
…and this entire cake? Well…, it only lasted about 30 minutes.
Simple Plum Cake (Plum Torte)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar, divided
- 2 eggs
- 12-14 Italian prune plums or purple plums , halved and pitted
- 1 teaspoon 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 ungreased springform pan. Cover the top with the plums halves, skin side down.
- 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.
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
nghenhacnhanh.com
This dish looks so delightfully flavorful!
The Recipe
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.