Plum Torte
Description
Deb from Smitten Kitchen says that this is even tastier if you can manage to leave it alone overnight, therefore becoming more ‘plummy’ – we didn’t have the control. Originally from the New York Times, there are many discussions about how much cinnamon to use, but what’s below worked for us. ‘Prune plums’ would also always be my first choice, but I’m thinking that this winter, regular plums, cut into 6 to 8 pieces, will have to be attempted – so much research, so little time! – enjoy!
Ingredients
1 c. flour AND 1 t. baking powder AND a pinch of salt
1/2 c. butter, softened AND 1 c. sugar
2 eggs
12 small purple plums (sometimes called ‘prune’, sometimes called ‘Italian’), halved and pitted
2 t. fresh lemon juice
1 t. cinnamon AND 1 or 2 T. sugar (for sprinkling before baking)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350, butter a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment and butter the parchment (Deb says to leave it ungreased, which I think would work perfectly if you’re planning on leaving it to sit overnight). In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set it aside.
Using your electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy, then add in the eggs, one at a time, beating in between and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Scrape the batter into your prepared pan and smooth out the top, then arrange the plum halves, skin side up, evenly over the whole cake. It should be completely covered in plums. Sprinkle the tops of the plums with the lemon juice, then the cinnamon, then some sugar and bake for about 50 minutes until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
Once the cake is cool, leave it to sit for as long as you can manage and then cut it into large slices and share as you wish!
