Plum Torte

The legendary Marian Burros NYT plum torte from 1983, reprinted in the paper every September for decades by popular demand. A simple butter cake batter takes Italian prune plum halves pressed face-down across the surface. As the cake bakes, the batter rises and surrounds the fruit, leaving glossy purple craters with sticky-sweet juices pooling around them.

The topping adjusts to the fruit. Sweeter plums get a sprinkle of plain sugar; tart plums get sugar plus a squeeze of lemon. Cinnamon dusts the top either way. Italian prune plums (the small oval ones, also called Empress or Stanley) are the move here. Their firmer flesh holds shape and concentrates as it bakes, while supermarket plums turn watery and break down.

Pro Tips

• Use Italian prune plums if you can find them. Round red or black plums work but release more juice and can soggy the cake.
• Halve and pit the plums, then press them firmly into the batter cut-side down. The batter should come up around the edges as they bake.
• Skip the lemon juice with sweet plums; double it with tart ones. The sour-sweet calibration is the recipe’s secret.
• Cool completely before serving for cleaner slices, or eat warm with vanilla ice cream for messier indulgence.

Variations

• Use halved apricots, pitted cherries, or sliced peaches in the same proportions when plums are out of season.
• Add ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the batter. Stone fruits and almond are best friends.
• Bake in muffin tins with one plum half per cup for individual portions.