The Plum Cake Dance

What can I say about Marian Burros’ famous Purple Plum Torte — the one that ran in the New York Times every September from 1983 to 1989, the one that was brought back a few years later after the Times received angry letters regarding its absence — that hasn’t already been said? Almost all of my favorite food blogs have written about this cake.

Says Amelia: “It’s just so simple to make, and then it ends up tasting like something you might get at a Michelin-starred restaurant.”

And Tim: “It could not be easier, and the results could not be more impressive. It looks like something you’d find in a rustic French bakery, and tastes even better.”

Deb explains how a surprisingly thin and dense layer of batter, topped with more plum halves than you think will fit, works its magic: “the cake rises up around them and buckles them in, leaving the cake riddled with deep pockets of jammy plum puddles that impart a sweet-sour complexity to an otherwise simple butter cake base.”

Molly wrote about it. Luisa wrote about it.

Merrill calls it “iconic,” and it is. Because the first time I made this torte it inspired dance moves in my husband. Now when we are excited (about anything) we jump around in circles, hands in the air, and call it “the plum cake dance.” It’s our own dance of the sugar plum fairy.

Since the day of the dance this cake has been an annual occasion. I made it last weekend, and there are still half a dozen plums on my counter that I see no purpose for other than another bake. It really is perfect. In delightful opposition to today’s scientific baking, the recipe is written to be rustic, calling for your preference of sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. The batter takes all of five minutes to mix, and after an hour leaves you with a deliciously toasty cake with pockets of sweet, warm fruit. Top a slice with a scoop of vanilla, or save it for the following day (nearly impossible to do), when the plum juices have seeped and softened the cake to an irresistible, bread pudding-like treat. How easy is that!

PLUM CAKE, from Marian Burros

You’ll need:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
12 Italian prune plums, halved and pitted (though I often buy whatever types of plums are available locally, which seem to be larger, and only necessitate 6-8)
Sugar, for topping
Lemon juice, for topping
Cinnamon, for topping

Heat oven to 350. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan (or something similar) by spraying and/or lining with parchment.

Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl (I used a hand mixer). Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and eggs, and beat until just combined. Spread the batter (it will be thick!) into the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange the plum halves skin side up across the top, covering as much surface area as you can. Sprinkle with sugar, a squeeze of lemon juice, and cinnamon to your liking.

Bake for approximately 1 hour.