As autumn settles over New York, home bakers are reaching for a familiar recipe: the plum torte first published by Marian Burros in 1983. The cake, long favored for its simplicity—just fruit, butter, flour, and sugar—has reappeared in kitchens across the city this week with a twist. At a bakery counter in Park Slope on Tuesday morning, raspberry torte slices sat beside the traditional plum version. The adjustment is minor, swapping plums for raspberries or dusting in cardamom, but bakers say the results are reliable.
The original torte recipe remains unchanged in its base, but neighborhood cafes and home cooks are experimenting with different fruits as local harvests shift. A manager at a Midtown cafe noted an uptick in requests for less sweet, more tart desserts since Labor Day. "People stop by after school drop-off asking for something lighter," she said.
Some bakers are also changing the pan shape, trading the classic round for square or loaf pans. The method stays the same, but the presentation adapts. At a Queens community bake sale last Saturday, one table offered single-serving squares, dusted with powdered sugar.
The torte's adaptability is key. At a cooking class in Harlem this Monday evening, a teacher encouraged participants to add their own spices. Cardamom and lemon zest both made appearances. "You can't really ruin it," the teacher said, slicing into a still-warm cake.
As New Yorkers settle into September routines, the familiar torte—plum or otherwise—offers a measure of comfort. Even with small changes, the cake continues to anchor fall tables around the city.