Cooking with Crosby Roamann: Juliana’s Purple Plum Torte
If you have ever been invited over to our house in late August or early September, or if you’ve invited me to your home for a meal during this same time frame and asked me to bring dessert, you have probably eaten this cake! This is my all-time favorite recipe from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen fame. I love Italian plums and this cake could not be easier or more delicious. What truly sets this apart is the last minute step of fresh squeezed lemon on top of the sliced plums, followed by a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar before it goes into the oven. When Italian plums are in season, do yourself a favor and make this for yourself, and maybe share with people you truly care about, and only them.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (200 grams) plus 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (use less for sweeter plums)
- 1/2 cup (115 grams or 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder (ideally aluminum-free)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 smallish purple Italian purple plums, halved and pitted
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
