This New York Times sourced recipe is famed for being one of their most requested ever. It does not disappoint!

This torte is sturdy and time friendly with beating butter and sugar as the only fuss. Yet it produces a bakery quality meal ender. Change the fruit: peaches, apricots, sour cherries; this torte is versatile. The batter produces a sturdy cake crumb, and it rises from practically nothing to engulf the fruit with a golden jacket. Okay! It’s fun to watch through the oven window.

The NYTimes article shows you five different ways to change up the recipe. Here is the original by Marian Burros, and adapted here):

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• sugar, 3⁄4 to 1 cup
• butter, unsalted, 1⁄2 cup softened
• flour, unbleached, 1 cup
• baking powder, 1 tsp
• salt, 1/4 tsp
• eggs, 2
• plums, 9-12,  halved and pitted
• Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
3. Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. (You may not need all the plums, depending on their size. Leave space between each plum.) Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
4. Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream.