Servings: 8

¾ to 1 cup sugar - I used ¾ cup sugar ¾ to 1 cup sugar - I used ¾ cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened, I used unsalted butter ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, I used unsalted butter
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted - I used all purpose flour, sifted 1 cup unbleached flour, sifted - I used all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking powder
Large Pinch of salt (optional) - I used Kosher salt Large Pinch of salt (optional) - I used Kosher salt
2 eggs 2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract ½ teaspoon almond extract
24 halves pitted purple plums - I used Italian plums 24 halves pitted purple plums - I used Italian plums
Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping - I used a generous sprinkling of Turbinado sugar, lemon juice from ¼ lemon, and about 1 tsp. cinnamon Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping - I used a generous sprinkling of Turbinado sugar, lemon juice from ¼ lemon, and about 1 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, and almond extract and beat well.
Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. I used a 9" springform pan lined with a parchment paper round in bottom of pan. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
Bake 1 hour. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)

To freeze, double-wrap the torte in foil, place in a plastic bag and seal.  To freeze, double-wrap the torte in foil, place in a plastic bag and seal.
Note from a reader: Because the little Italian prune plums are available for such a short time, mid-September, I bake and freeze. Line the pan base with parchment circle and cake is very easy to remove. My only addition: almond extract, which is divine with stone fruits and very tasty in this recipe. I use the smaller amount of sugar (3/4 C) and sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar before baking.  Note from a reader: Because the little Italian prune plums are available for such a short time, mid-September, I bake and freeze. Line the pan base with parchment circle and cake is very easy to remove. My only addition: almond extract, which is divine with stone fruits and very tasty in this recipe. I use the smaller amount of sugar (¾ C) and sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar before baking.
5 Ways to adapt this recipe: tinyurl.com/4rdxmbja  5 Ways to adapt this recipe: tinyurl.com/4rdxmbja