This New York Times Recipe is Famed for Being One of Their Most Requested Ever

A torte is not a tart; rather it’s a cake, and in this version a fruit torte. This classic recipe 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, [depending on the sweetness of the fruit]
• butter – 1⁄2 cup softened
• flour, unbleached – 1 cup
• baking powder – 1 tsp
• salt – 1/4 tsp
• eggs – 2
• plums – 9-12,  halved and pitted, about 1-1/2 to 2 cups
• topping – sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon

DIRECTIONS: Although I have yet to try, I’m sure this could be made into a bundt cake

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream the sugar and butter in a tall bowl using a mixer until butter lightens in color; 5 minutes
3. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well
4. Coat the pan with oil
5. Scrape the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches [or any cake pan]
6. 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.)
7. Sprinkle lightly with a tsp of sugar, a tsp of cinnamon, and brush lightly with 2 tsp lemon juice
8. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out dry

Serve warm, or chilled with whipped cream