Marion Burro’s famous purple plum torte recipe (2024)

Baking · Recipes

BySam

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Marion Burro’s famous purple plum torte recipe (1)

Marrion Burro’s famous purple plum torte is one of those recipes you see floating around the internet from time to time and you always wonder if it can be as good as it’s made out to be. I mean it’s a basic cake batter plus plums. Anyway, it’s been at the backfrontof my mind to make as soon as stone fruits started coming into season. This is the best recipe you can make using a batch of plums and the best plum cake in the world. There I said it!

In case you were interested I made this torte into the perfect apricot torte too and it works so well as an alternative.

I spotted these super small plums last week which looked perfect for the recipe, but in my over-eagerness, I didn’t stop to question their ripeness. Sadly they were not yet in their prime. It would be ideal to use ripe Italian prune plums, but if you can’t find these then use whatever ripe plums you can find. Do what I didn’t do, and eat them first to see what they taste like.

Despite this, it’sabsolutely sensational and I can immediately see why it became so famous and probably regarded as the best plum torte ever made. You can read the back story of the origins of the recipe where I first spotted it on the fabulousSmitten Kitchen.

The batter is ridiculously easy to make especially if you have a stand mixer. Halving and pitting the 12 or so plums becomes the hardest part of the job. The plums turn into gooey, jammy pools in the cake and the cinnamon sugar topping adds a lovely flavour and texture. I made it the day before which is advised, the flavour develops overnight and I can’t wait to bake it again as soon as I find riper plums. I also have a few recipe variations to this perfect recipe up my sleeve. This one is a keeper.

I’m mad about plums so here are a few of my favourite recipes:

Easy plum tarte tatin

The best easy plum muffins

Easy plum and frangipane galette

Marian Burros’ Famous Purple Plum Torte ~from Elegant but Easy and The Essential New York Times Cookbook,

The famous purple plum torte

Marian Burros’ Famous Purple Plum Torte recipe is the best thing you can make with plums. It's so easy and delicious.

Print Recipe

Marion Burro’s famous purple plum torte recipe (7)

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup / 150gms granulated sugar plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for the topping depending on the sweetness of plums
  • 1/2 cup 115 gms butter, at room temperature (add a pinch of salt if you are using unsalted butter)
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 1 cup /125 grams of all-purpose flour or cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 12 small Italian prune plums or other small ripe plums, halved and pitted
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp or a little more ground cinnamon for the topping

Instructions

  • Preheat over to 180-C / 350°F.

  • Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

  • Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup of sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time making sure each is well incorporated before adding the next. Add the dry ingredients and mix briefly until just combined.

  • Spoon the cake batter into a greased 23 cm / 9-inch springform cake tin with the bottom lined with baking paper and smooth the top. Arrange the plums, and skin side up evenly over the batter. Sprinkle the top with the lemon juice, then the cinnamon and the remaining two tablespoons of sugar

  • Bake until the cake is golden and a sharp knifeinserted into the center part of the cake comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. If your cake is over-browning, loosely cover it with foil from about ¾ of the way through the baking time. Cool on rack.

  • Once cool, leave it at room temperature overnight before taking it out of the tin. You could serve this with whipped cream dolloped on top or with a light sifting of icing sugar.

Notes

Try and source ripe plums but if you can't, add a little extra sugar to compensate.

Serve this as a dessert with a dollop of cream.

Servings: 6

Author: Sam Linsell

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Marion Burro’s famous purple plum torte recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should I refrigerate a plum torte? ›

If planning more than 2 to 3 days out, I'll store the cake in the fridge for longevity.

What's the difference between plum cake and plum pudding? ›

A plum cake is baked in the oven and though it has the sultanas and glace cherries of a plum pudding, they are distributed more judiciously through the batter. No suet is used in a plum cake, butter is. And instead of treacle and molasses, brown sugar is used.

What is the difference between a fruit cake and a plum cake? ›

A Fruit Cake is a normal vanilla cake with fruits in it. Whereas a Plum Cake is made with dry fruits soaked in alcohol/orange juice for more than a day. A Fruit Cake's colour is white to yellowish inside, whereas a Plum Cake's colour is brown to dark brown inside.

What is so special about plum cake? ›

The unique aroma of these dry fruits such as grapes, raisins, currants, or prunes makes this Christmas plum cake special as it has an intoxicating flavor and smell which makes it irresistible. How did plum cakes originate? The origin of the plum cake is known to be somewhere in medieval England.

How do you know when torte is done? ›

The idea behind this test is you can insert a toothpick or paring knife into the center of the cake to see if the crumb has set. If the tester comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out gummy or with crumbs clinging to it, the cake needs more time in the oven.

How long does a torte last in the fridge? ›

Cakes that have been refrigerated properly can last up to one week.

Why is plum cake so expensive? ›

Plum cake is generally costlier since it has loads of nuts n berries. Moreover it tastes good in butter and for the rich color brown sugar is added in it rather than normal sugar. Moreover for Alcoholic version it uses Alcohol for soaking , so all these things make them costly.

What is plum cake called in USA? ›

Plum cake recipes in the fruitcake style appeared in early cookbooks in the Southern United States, and did not actually call for plums. After 1830 plum cake was often referred to as fruit cake or black cake.

Is figgy pudding the same as plum pudding? ›

Figgy pudding — also known as plum pudding or Christmas pudding — is a staple of the British Christmas table, she says.

What is the healthiest cake to eat? ›

Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake is healthy because It does not contain egg yolk and butter. Without egg yolk and butter these cakes are low on calories and fats. A single slice of Angel Food Cake contains just almost around 70 calories.

Why do people eat plum cake during Christmas? ›

The evolution of the plum cake from porridge and pudding, to what it is now. The story of the plum cake begins in medieval England, where it was a popular tradition to observe a period of self-denial, fasting, and abstinence from every kind of indulgence in the weeks leading to Christmas.

Is figgy pudding the same as fruitcake? ›

Is figgy pudding the same as fruit cake? No. Traditional figgy pudding is a British dish that is more like a bread pudding that may or may not include dried fruit like raisins. So although there are similarities for sure, they are not the same thing.

What is another name for plum cake? ›

The story of plum cake, also known as the fruit cake, can be traced to medieval England, where it was a popular tradition to observe a period of abstinence in the weeks leading up to Christmas. A rich porridge was cooked and eaten to “line the stomach” for the upcoming feast.

What is an exotic plum cake? ›

It is not clear how it came to be called the plum cake. Some believe that raisins that are also referred to as plums in England gave this beautiful name! What makes it so special is the presence of almost all famous spices of the state – Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Fennel, Cumin, Nutmeg and Cashew nuts.

Why is there no plum in plum cake? ›

Some believe that raisins were referred to as 'plums' in medieval England; since the recipe called for an abundance of them, the dish came to be known as 'plum pudding'. On the other hand, some think that the original mixture contained prunes (dried plums), which were eventually replaced by more exotic dried fruits.

Does plum cake need to be refrigerated? ›

The cake will keep well covered (I usually use a cake stand with a dome lid) at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I actually prefer to make this cake a day in advance as it tastes better the next day. You can also freeze the leftover cake for up to 3 months.

How do you store torte? ›

To store: Let the torte cool completely and wrap well in plastic wrap. The torte can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leave the torte to come to room temperature before serving. To freeze: This cake freezes really well.

Does plum pudding need to be refrigerated? ›

Room Temperature: It's safe to store Christmas pudding at room temperature for a few days, but it's not recommended for long-term storage. Refrigerator: In the fridge, Christmas pudding can last for up to a week while maintaining its quality.

Should cake with fruit be refrigerated? ›

Place your wrapped fruitcake in an airtight container and place all of that in the fridge. Following these steps on wrapping your fruitcake in cheesecloth means your liquor-infused cakes will stay fresh for up to six months!

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