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Blood Plum Torte

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Blood Plum Torte

This Plum Torte recipe is the most requested and most published recipe in the New York Times, appearing a total of 12 times. It’s so popular, and so loved, that when Amanda Hesser came to write The Essential New York Times Cookbook and she asked readers for suggestions on what recipes to include 247 people contacted her and raved about this recipe.  If that’s not a singing endorsement I don’t know what is!

I have to agree with those people because quite honestly this is a delicious cake, and better yet it is so deliciously simple! The only downside, in my eyes, is that it’s not the most attractive of cakes. But, considering this cake isn’t likely to last too long before it’s gobbled up, I don’t think that really matters!

I’ve seen photos of this torte with plums perfectly perched on top, but each time I’ve made this, this being the second time, the cake has batter has greedily gobbled the plums up inside with only little glimpses of the beautiful plummy goodness hidden within.  Granted I have perhaps used heavier plums, having selected beautiful Blood Plums, but appearance is of little importance when something tastes good.

So tell me, is how food looks or how it tastes more important to you?

Marian Burros Plum Torte

 

Blood Plum Torte

Adapted from the famous New York Times Purple Plum Torte
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 8
Author: Marian Burros

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of plain flour all purpose
  • 1 tsp of baking powder
  • large pinch of salt
  • 1 cup of sugar plus 1 tablespoon extra for the topping
  • 115 grams of butter at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 12 blood plums halved and pitted
  • 2 tsp of fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180 and grease a 22cm spring form tin.
  • Cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs and sift in the flour and baking powder and mix to combine.
  • Spoon the batter into the spring form pan and smooth on top, covering with the plums. Sprinkle the plums with the lemon juice and the extra sugar.
  • Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out cleanly. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing.

Notes

The original recipe uses cinnamon. I have made it both with and without the cinnamon and find I prefer it without. If you choose to add the cinnamon the recipe suggests 1 tbsp. This cake is also suitable for freezing.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I think all of our sense affect how food appeals to us but I’ll tell my expectations visually have changed since moving to high altitude…baked goods are like a Vegas moment each time so I’ve had and served some things that you and others might consider imperfect but here…we have to gloss over that sometimes and just dig in and only judge by taste!

    This looks gorgeous; not sure I’ve ever seen blood plums but I’ve had a love affair with blood oranges and I’m game to try and find them. Lovely, really.

    Reply

  3. Oh I must try this cake! I absolutely love plums in cakes.

    This might sound cliché but I really believe that we eat with our eyes first, so how the food looks is important. But how it tastes is more important, I think. No point having good-looking food which tastes blah 😉

    Reply

  8. Yum, I love this kind of cake. I dont mind what fruit is in it, I just love it. As far as this cake goes I wouldn’t care what it looked like!

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  10. Taste is more important! The only time I am unwilling to try something that is extremely unattractive is when it smells unattractive too!!

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  11. I care more about the taste, although if it’s something I’ve made myself I’ll try to make it look inviting 🙂 I love blood plums, will have to give it a try!

    Reply

  13. I’ll go for flavour over looks, it can be ugly as long as it’s delicious, afterall, it’s what’s inside that counts 🙂

    Reply

  15. Perfect timing since plums are in season! I think I’ll have to make this tonight for my hubby’s lunchbox snack 🙂 thanks for posting!

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  18. I think this looks beautiful with the plums slightly sunk into the batter – and I bet it tastes better for it too! Food should always look delicious, but sometimes that’s not the same thing as being picture perfect or pristine. Gorgeous photos and recipe (as always).

    Reply

  20. For as terrible as the weather has been this summer the fruit has been lovely – great use for the plums, the torte looks delicious! I recon if the plums stayed up you wouldn’t get that lovely golden, crunchy looking top!

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  24. Well *snap* Jen, I just made this last night with the last of the plums that I’ve saved from the birds. It is a great recipe and so quick to whip up, too!
    Great minds must really think alike!

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    • How funny that we made this almost at the same time (I made mine early this morning)! Great minds definitely do think alike! It’s such a great simple recipe! I’m going to try it with other stone fruits.

      Reply

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