I’m not sure where I was when everyone else was learning how to make this torte, but now that I’ve figured it out, I just can’t stop making it. I can wait for my friend to have a baby so I can make her one, or to be invited to a party (maybe a year from now post pandemic?) when I can impress with my cooking prowess. Because this is an impressive looking cake and something you want to share.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter softened

3/4 cup of sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup flour (I use a mix of all purpose, whole wheat, and ground almonds)

1 tsp Baking Powder

8 black plums

Pinch of cinnamon

1/4 – 1/2 tsp lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut all the plums in half lengthwise and remove the pits. cut each half in half again lengthwise depending on the size of the plums. Take one plum and cut in thin slices to make a fan in the middle of your torte. Put all the plums in a bowl and toss them with a sprinkle of sugar, cinnamon to taste, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Meanwhile start creaming the butter, add the sugar, then vanilla, then eggs, one at a time. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and slowly add them to a greased 9” cake pan. The batter is kind of think and I used a spatula to spread it evenly around the pan.

The next part is the most fun, spreading the fruit in pretty patterns on top.

My oven is a little hot and I turn it a little lower than 350 and cook for 45 minutes. I recommend checking on it at 40 minutes. The batter puffs up around the fruit which sinks into the cake. Let cool before eating!