Yet again, not necessarily a disaster, but NOT what I’d hoped for.
I was actually thinking about the NYT Iconic Plum Torte. It’s “iconic,” it’s famous, and sure to be delicious.
But, in true form, I wanted to “Ashley-ify” it and make it my own.
The Times published Marian Burros’s recipe for Plum Torte every September from 1983 until 1989, when the editors determined that enough was enough. The recipe was to be printed for the last time that year. “To counter anticipated protests,” Ms. Burros wrote a few years later, “the recipe was printed in larger type than usual with a broken-line border around it to encourage clipping.” It didn’t help. The paper was flooded with angry letters. “The appearance of the recipe, like the torte itself, is bittersweet,” wrote a reader in Tarrytown, N.Y. “Summer is leaving, fall is coming. That’s what your annual recipe is all about. Don’t be grumpy about it.” We are not! And we pledge that every year, as summer gives way to fall, we will make sure that the recipe is easily available to one and all.
I created a simple vanilla cake recipe – and “dropped” canned red plums into the batter after pouring into the pan. (Yes, canned – I would have preferred fresh, but the budget is SUPER DUPER TIGHT right now – do you have any idea how much it costs to maintain a gourmet food blog? I think NOT! – and Valerie had given me a few cans of the plums – so I was ready to use them!)
The batter and pan looked great, going into the oven. I was confident.
The first issue, however, was that as I was pulling the gorgeous treat from the oven, I almost dropped the pan and knocked it so that the center fell. It fell a little at first – and then A LOT.
Well, not to worry, I thought. I have a few leftover plums and the juice – I’ll just create a sweet plum custard filling for the drop. GREAT idea – and so beautiful, seasoned with sugar plum spices and sugar. But, I knew, the moment I sliced into the beautiful cake, things would ooze and gooze.
Yes, I was right – the premonition became complete.
But, despite the difficulty in slicing and serving, the gooey mash of flavors of this less than iconic sugar plum cake were simply fantastic.
Give it a try – the sliced plums INSIDE the moist cake make it truly great!
Sugar Plum Cake! And, while it’s the middle of summer and we are not necessarily dreaming of sugar plum fairies 🧚🏻dancing under the Christmas tree 🩰 (are you with me – Nutcracker Suite), we’ll take this sweet treat instead, anxiously awaiting our wintertime ballet ball.
Sugar Plum Cake
1 stick (8 Tbs.) butter, room temperature + 1 Tbs. for lining quick release pan
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1 Tb.s baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 14 oz. can purple plums, drained and divided, reserving juice
3/4 cup powdered sugar + 1 Tbs. for dusting
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a quick release pan with butter and then line the bottom with parchment paper.
Cream the butter until smooth. Add in the flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Mix until well combined.
Next, thoroughly and with gusto, mix in the milk and eggs until the batter is somewhat thick.
Drain the canned plums, reserving the juice and about 3-4 plums.
Remove any pits.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Dollop with the pitted plums (5-8).
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and DO NOT accidentally knock to cause the cake to fall.
Cool for several hours.
Release the cooled cake from the quick release pan, and sigh, just a little, if the center has fallen.
Meanwhile, bring the reserved plum juice + any reserved plums, to a simmer in a small pot on the stove. Sprinkle in the powdered sugar and “Christmas” spices (Brian calls anything with cinnamon, “Christmas”).
Whisk together until thick.
Pour the plum filing into the center of the sunken cake and then drizzle around the sides.
Let sit and cool, again, for a few hours.
Dust with additional powdered sugar.
Slice – knowing that the plum filling will ooze. Smile, enjoy, and literally “lick” up your Sugar Plum Cake!
