Plum Torte (aka best summer dessert)

My mom has always made plum torte at the end of the summer when the little sugar plums come out. (She said the New York Times used to run the recipe every summer but stopped several years ago.) It's bittersweet because I'm so excited for it, but it also means summer is coming to an end. I made one this weekend after finding the little plums at the farm stand. It's just the best - the batter is sweet and fluffy, the top is crusted with cinnamon sugar, and the plus are juicy and tart. It's also pretty simple. If you can find these plums, make this torte and watch it disappear. I love it with a little vanilla ice cream, or in the morning for breakfast!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2 eggs

24 halves purple, pitted, sugar plums

Lemon, sugar, and cinnamon for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl, mix in eggs, then add dry ingredients. Spoon the batter into a cake or pie pan and spread out. Push the plum halves into the batter, skin side up. Try to get as many as possible. You can do it in a pretty circular pattern, or just shove them any place you can. (The more plums, the better.) Before you put it in the oven, mix up some cinnamon sugar, sprinkle it over the top, and squeeze half a lemon over it. 

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, periodically sprinkling a little more cinnamon sugar on top. When finished, let it cool and eat.