Other sweets
Classic Plum Torte: Plum Cake
This buttery plum cake, also known as the classic plum torte, is baked with fresh Italian plums and topped with cinnamon sugar. An unfussy, moist dessert that’s steady with coffee, tea, or a scoop of ice cream.
This direct plum cake recipe, also known as the famous New York Times plum torte, bakes buttery batter with ripe plums and a cinnamon sugar topping. A moist and unfussy dessert, steady for summer gatherings or an afternoon coffee.
We look forward to making this Italian plum cake recipe every summer when plums are in season. The batter is unfussy—just flour, sugar, butter, and eggs—but when you tuck ripe plums on top, the cake turns golden, tender, and full of sweet-tart flavor. A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar adds a delicate crunch with every bite.
This dessert is sometimes called a plum torte, made famous by The New York Times from 1983 to 1995, but in our kitchen it’s simply the cake that disappears in minutes. We've baked it for years with Italian prune plums, but any good ripe plums work beautifully. Serve it warm with tea or cool with ice cream—it’s always a hit.
Featured ReviewRead more reviews“Our son made this tonight and wow! Absolutely savory. This recipe is a keeper and we are checking out your website and youtube channel. Thank you for giving us a new fall recipe. And we are freezing prune plumbs so we will be enjoying this during the winter too.”
Lisa
Baking with Italian Prune Plums
Italian prune plums are small, oval-shaped, and less juicy than larger varieties, which makes them steady for baking. When baked, they turn jammy and sweet without flooding the cake with too much liquid. That’s why they’ve been the classic choice for plum cakes and tortes for decades.
If you can’t find them, substitute with other firm plums. Just avoid overly juicy ones like red-fleshed plums, as they can make the cake soggy. We often freeze prune plums at the end of the season so we can bake this cake even in winter.
How the dish comes together
The recipe is unfussy. There is no liquid but created such a moist cake with just right amount of sweetness and tartness. You will love the crunch subtle cinnamon sugar texture on every bite, too.
Sift the dry ingredients together first.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs.
Gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined—don’t overmix.
Spread the batter in a greased 9-inch springform pan. The batter will be thick, but it will rise around the plums as it bakes. Arrange the halved plums skin side up across the surface. They’ll sink slightly as the cake bakes, creating jammy fruit pockets.
Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the plums. This bakes into a crackly, caramelized crust.
Bake at 350°F until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Serve it warm, cooled to room temperature, or even the next day—the flavor deepens as it rests. We like a slice just as it is, but if a cup of tea or coffee makes you happier, go for it. In our house, the whole cake usually vanishes in about 30 minutes.
We also think peaches would be a great swap for plums if you want to try something different. In fact, we have a recipe for Peach Kuchen (German peach cake) that’s wonderful served warm. Both cakes are unfussy, homey, and steady for enjoying with family.
- Yield: 8 people
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 45 minutes
- Total: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup ((113 g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (175 g + 25 g) sugar, divided
- 2 eggs
- 12-14 Italian prune plums or purple plums, halved and pitted (about 500–600 g)
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) ground cinnamon
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In an electric mixer, cream butter and the 3/4 cup sugar. Add eggs and continue to beat until fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Spread the cake batter in a 9-inch greased springform pan. Cover the top with the plums halves, skin side up.
- Mix the cinnamon with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center tests clean with a toothpick. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, or serve while still warm.
