Time Period: 1980-1999
Although the time period this cake was assigned to is in the '80s, the recipe itself dates back to 1960. Lois Levine and Marian Burros put it into their Elegant But Easy Cookbook, and 20 years later, Burros shared it even more publicly via the New York Times. It became one of the paper's most requested recipes, and was eventually re-published annually. Plum tortes used to be made with crushed zwieback (sweetened toast) back in Depression-era America, but evolved into buttery cake batter in the 60s.
I can see why this recipe became so popular; it was really delicious. The plum size and placement can be a challenge, because crowding the cake pan turns this recipe almost into a cobbler, while spacing the plums out makes it feel too sparse. However, when it works out, you have a perfect late-summer, early-autumn dessert that tastes fresh yet comforting all at the same time.
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