This simple vegan plum torte is a vegan interpretation of a recipe that was published in the New York Times every year from 1982 to 1989. I think the reason for its popularity, aside from the fact that it’s a really easy and attractive cake to make, is that it was published at the end of the summer, when fresh plums were abundant.
Some varieties of plum are already in season, or coming out the other side, depending on where you live. In the UK, we’ll need to wait until August for home-grown plums. The imported plums in the shops can be a bit firm (to say the least) so a recipe like this that gives them a chance to meld slowly into a cake is ideal. The plums soften and sweeten, and the cake billows up around them with a thick sugar and cinnamon crust.
Another reason for this cake’s popularity might just be the sugar content – I’ve reduced the quantity that’s in the original recipe, but it’s still super-sweet. The plums, especially if they are tart to begin with, along with the apple and a splash of lemon juice create a balance, though, between sweet and tangy flavours.
Although it skips the eggs and butter, this recipe does retain the traditional method of creaming the fat and sugar and folding in the flour, which is a trip down memory lane for anyone who used to do a lot of baking before they became vegan.
vegan plum torte…
ingredients
- six large plums (or a greater number of smaller plums)
- 100 g apple (one small to medium apple, cored)
- 110 g vegan margarine
- 170 g caster or granulated sugar (plus an extra 2 tsp for sprinkling)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- a few drops (no more than 1/8 tsp) almond extract
- 190 g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
method
- Set the oven to 180°C/360°F and lightly oil/line the base of a 9″ round baking tin. You could also use a deep flan dish.
- First prepare the apple puree (you could use shop-bought apple puree if you happen to have this). Slice the apple, and add it to a small pan with two tablespoons of water. Cook down gently until the apple is soft and most of the water has evaporated. Puree, or thoroughly mash the apple, with another two tablespoons of water. Set aside.
- Halve the plums, remove the stones, and set these aside as well.
- In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, ideally using an electric hand whisk.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts (being careful not to overdo the latter), and the apple puree, and whisk again. It should be a light, aerated mixture (pinkish, if you used a redskinned apple!)
- Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold the mixture lightly to combine. Don’t over-stir. It should have a soft dropping consistency – if it feels too thick, add another spoonful or two of water.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking tin and level the top.
- Arrange the plum halves on top (they should be almost touching). Don’t bother to press them down – they will be submerged in the cake as it rises.
- Sprinkle over the lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar before baking for between 50 minutes and an hour. The top should be well-browned.
- Allow to cool before cutting. It is perfectly good, if a bit less crisp, on day two.
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