Another recipe for Plum Torte?

Yeah. Why not?! 

Because it’s one of the best of the best cakes to eat. No, don’t say you like chocolate cake or coconut cake better. Plum Torte serves an entirely different purpose. You can’t compare it to any other cake. It’s its own thing.

I have no idea why Plum Torte is a typical Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur Break-the-Fast dessert. Maybe it’s because those lovely little Italian prune plums needed for the recipe are in season at about the same time as the Jewish High Holidays. All I know is that this was one of THE desserts for the holidays even when I was a little girl.

There are dozens of recipes for it. Plum Torte is one of those recipes like apple pie. Everyone who bakes one does a little something different. The New York Times used to print their tried-and-true recipe every September. I’ve made that one and it is quite good. This one is even better. I just made two to freeze and reheat for my annual Break-the-Fast Saturday night:

Plum Torte

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 3/4 cup plus one tablespoon sugar

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 large eggs

• 15 prune plums, pit removed, quartered

• lemon juice (about one tablespoon)

• cinnamon (about 1/4 teaspoon)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until creamy and well blended. Add the flour, baking powder, lemon peel and salt and mix briefly to blend ingredients slightly. Add the eggs and beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Spoon the batter into the prepared springform pan. Arrange the plum quarters on top, pressing them slightly into the batter. Sprinkle the cake with the remaining tablespoon sugar. Squeeze some lemon juice over the cake and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until browned, set and crispy. Let cool.

Makes 8 servings