The New York Times Plum Torte
The New York Times Plum Torte is an iconic recipe that's incredibly easy to make and is a perfect way to use up beautiful in season summer plums. It's is dense, yet light, super moist, not too sweet and great with a cup of coffee or tea.
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This Plum Torte recipe by Marian Burros was first printed in The New York Times in October of 1982 and continued to run every single September for the remainder of the decade. People were upset - so the Times printed it one last time and later included it in the Essential New York Times Cook Book by Amanda Hesser.
It doesn't seem like anything special, but it is - and you'll understand once you taste it. The fruit is sweet-tart and jammy, with just enough firmness to still know that it's a plum.
The deep purple hue bleeds all throughout the batter, and it tastes light but still has a dense chewy crumb that makes it completely addictive. It's elegant enough to serve to company but easy enough for a weeknight.
It's also an extremely versatile recipe. No plums? Make it with literally any other kind of fruit that's in season. I even developed a version of this torte with ground cherries.
Why this recipe works
- Easy, beginner friendly recipe - anyone can make this.
- Made in one bowl, no electric mixer needed.
- Simple ingredients, simple measurements.
- Adaptable with any other fruit.
Ingredient Notes
- Plums - The original New York Times recipe from Marian Burros calls for using small Italian plums (also called prune plums), but I can rarely ever find them. I have made this torte with red plums, black plums, purple plums, pluots and all other types of fruit. It turns out great every time.
Helpful Equipment
- Springform Pan - The original recipe calls for using a 9 inch springform pan, which makes it easy to left the cake out and slice. However, this cake can technically be made in a regular cake pan, a cast iron skillet or even an 8x8" square baking dish.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter the inside of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Cream butter and 1 cup of sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer, but I find a wooden spoon and a little elbow grease to the job just fine.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, then mix until just combined. Spread the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Arrange the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter, then use your fingers to gently press them in. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the fruit, then mix together the remaining tablespoon of sugar and ground cinnamon, and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.
- Slice into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or on its own. The cake is also excellent served cold after chilling in the fridge overnight.
Tips for Success
- Depending on how sweet your plums are and how sweet you like your cake, the sugar can be cut down to ¾ cup.
- You will use more or less plums depending on the variety and size, but also depending on your preference. I tend to use more plums for a jammier, fruitier cake, almost like a buckle, but you can always opt to use less.
- If you're not using a springform pan, line your cake pan with parchment paper or foil so you can lift it out after baking to make slicing easier.
- Try this torte with a different fruit altogether! It's a forgiving recipe and works well with just about everything, especially other stone fruit like peaches and nectarines.
- You can replace half of the all purpose flour with almond flour for an even denser chewier crumb.
- The beauty of this recipe is in the simplicity of its flavors. You might be tempted to add vanilla extract, almond extract, nuts or different spices, but I promise it's better as is.
Faq About Plum Torte
A torte is a style of cake that is typically made with more eggs and less flour (or no flour at all). Tortes tend to be richer and more dense than a standard cake.
Store this Plum Torte tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for longer storage - double wrap it in foil then place in a tightly sealed plastic bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
Related Recipes
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The New York Times Famous Plum Torte (Video!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon divided*
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6-12 plums depending size, pitted and halved**
- Juice from ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter the inside of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer, but I find a wooden spoon and a little elbow grease to the job just fine.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated.
- Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt until just combined.
- Spread the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Arrange the halved plums cut-side-down, then use your fingers to gently press them into the batter.
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the fruit, then mix together the remaining tablespoon of sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes prior to cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature. The cake is also excellent served cold after chilling in the fridge overnight.
Notes
- *Depending on how sweet your plums are and how sweet you like your cake, the sugar can be cut down to ¾ cup.
- **You will use more or less plums depending on the variety and size, but also depending on your preference. I tend to use more plums for a fruitier cake, but you can always opt to use less for a cakier-cake. You can't go wrong either way, trust me.
I have made this a few times, always with the suggested almond flour substitution. It's light yet chewy and this time will be served with our homemade vanilla bean ice cream. I think we'll be famous now. 5 🌟 Stars
Woohoo! So happy you loved the recipe!