Vine Torte Or Prune Cake Recipes

UKRAINIAN PRUNE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 5 (8 inch) round pans.
• Grind the blanched almonds in a food processor with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Cream the butter with the remaining 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir in the almond extract, salt, and ground almond mixture. Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Roll each piece between 2 sheets of waxed paper or parchment paper to fit the pans, or pat each piece of dough into the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the pans while still hot.
• To make the Prune Filling: Place the prunes in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Puree the prunes in a food processor.
• Return the prune puree to the saucepan and add the white sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and 4 tablespoons reserved prune liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat. Assemble the torte layers, spreading them with warm prune filling. Let stand for 24 hours before slicing.

PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Combine prunes and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until prunes are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a fluted tube pan (such as a Bundt®).
• Mix flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, allspice, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Combine vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, and eggs in a separate bowl; pour them into the flour mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. Use an electric mixer to blend in the drained prunes; the mixer will break them up a bit. Stir in the chopped pecans.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven until a tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack.
• To make icing, combine 1 cup sugar, margarine, 1/2 cup buttermilk, vanilla extract, and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for a full 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Invert cake onto a platter and pour hot icing over the cake.

PRUNE CAKE WITH GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Add oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; mix well. Fold in prunes and nuts. Pour into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 45 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all topping ingredients in a saucepan. bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Pour over hot cake. Leave in pan to cool.

MARY'S PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Blend sugar, oil and eggs.
• Add dry ingredients altering with the milk.
• Add vanilla, nuts and prunes.
• Bake in a 13x9x2" pan at 300 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
• While hot and still in pan pour icing over the cake.
• For the icing: Mix all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat and pour over cake.
• Use fork to pierce holes in cake to absorb icing.

OLD FASHIONED PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour Bundt or tube pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs and 1 1/2 cup sugar. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Add flour mixture, alternating with 1 cup buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. beat well after each addition. Stir in prunes, pecans and 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla.
• Pour into greased and floured bundt or tube pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
• Make large, deep holes in hot cake and pour topping in holes and on top of cake a little at a time, giving it time to soak in.
• For the topping: In saucepan, over medium heat, cook butter, 3/4 cup buttermilk, corn syrup and 1 1/2 cup sugar until sugar and butter melt. Remove from heat and add 2 teaspoons vanilla and stir.

PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Add oil, buttermilk and eggs; mix well. Fold in plums and nuts. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and punch holes in top of cake with a wooden skewer or pick. Immediately combine glaze ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly; pour hot glaze over warm cake. Cool in pan.

VINARTERTA

Steps:

• Make the cake: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. With machine running, add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
• Reduce speed to low. Working in batches, add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating once with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until dough is smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Make the filling: Combine prunes and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until prunes are tender, about 15 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop prunes in a food processor, and return to saucepan with reserved liquid and the granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture is thick, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla, salt, and cardamom. Refrigerate until slightly firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 7 equal pieces (about 6 ounces each). Roll each piece into a 10-inch round, and cut into a 9-inch circle using the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan as your guide. Place 1 dough circle on a baking sheet, and bake until edges are golden, about 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Repeat with remaining 6 dough circles.
• To assemble: Spread about 3/4 cup prune filling evenly onto 1 cake circle. Top with another circle, and continue until all 7 layers have been assembled (do not put filling on top layer). Wrap in plastic; let stand overnight.
• Dust cake with confectioners' sugar. Cut into quarters, then horizontally into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

VINE TORTE OR PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Mix cookie ingredients as for cookies.
• Divide dough into 7 and roll out so it is approx size of 8" cake pan.
• Bake at 350 until slightly browned.
• Cool.
• Cover prunes with water and simmer until tender.
• Drain, reserving at least 1/2 cup of water.
• Put in food processor and add rest of ingredients.
• Process until smooth.
• Return to pot and simmer for a few minutes to allow flavors to blend.
• Cool until you can touch it without burning yourself.
• Layer filling between cookies, ending with a cookie.
• (seven cookie layers and six filling layers.) Wrap in wax or parchment paper and then in foil.
• Refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 2 weeks to cure.
• You know it has sat long enough when the cookie doesn't crumble when you cut it.

VINETERTA (VIENNA TORTE)

Steps:

• Cream butter well, then add sugar gradually, beating hard after each addition. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and cardamom. Add small amount to creamed mixture. Mix in cream and almond extract. Now work in as much flour as possible.
• Turn out onto pastry cloth and knead in any remaining flour. Divide dough into 5 parts and pat each part into a 9-inch greased layer pan. Bake at 375 until delicate brown.
• To assemble filling: Put prunes through food processor or mill, then add sugar, prune liquid and cinnamon. Cook until thickened, then add vanilla.
• Let cool, and then spread between layers of torte.
• Top cake with a thin layer of vanilla icing. Let the torte stand for a couple of days before serving to allow the cake to soften. Serve in small slices.

GRANDMA RUBY'S PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Add prunes to a saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain any excess water. Mash prunes and set aside. In a bowl, stir flour with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat sugar with eggs and 2 tablespoons butter until blended. In a measuring cup, mix prune juice with 1 tablespoon baking soda. Stir into mixture alternating with flour mixture. Stir in mashed prunes. Transfer to prepared baking pan.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.
• Sauce: Add 1/2 cup butter, sugar, syrup, cream and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to a small saucepan set over medium heat; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Cut cake and serve with warm sauce.

BIT OF SPICE PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Mix ingredients all together.
• Pour into 13 x 9-inch greased pan.
• Bake at 350°F for approximately 40 - 45 minutes. Check very carefully. My mom didn't put down the time in the oven.
• While cake is cooking, put ingredients for topping in pan. Bring to a boil.
• While cake is still hot, pierce the top with a fork.
• Spoon topping over cake until it is absorbed.

TORTA WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• To poach the prunes: Cut them into bite-sized morsels. Put them in a small saucepan with 1/3 cup of the sugar, the lemon zest, and the wine. Set the pan over medium-low heat, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Let the syrup bubble gently and steadily for 15 minutes or so, reducing slowly, until it has thickened and barely covers the shiny poached prunes. Leave the prunes in the syrup to cool completely, then drain through a sieve, collecting and saving the remaining syrup, about 1/4 cup. (You can poach the prunes hours or a day ahead of time and leave them soaking in the syrup. Drain well before assembling the cake.)
• To make the cake: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 350°. Secure the bottom disk in the springform, and grease the inside surfaces with a tablespoon of the soft butter. Stir the bread crumbs and a tablespoon of sugar together. Coat the buttered bottom and sides of the cake pan completely with the crumb mixture, and shake out any loose crumbs.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Put the remaining sugar and butter in the mixer bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream together for several minutes on high speed, scraping down the bowl several times, until light and smooth.
• Beat in the egg yolks one at a time; scrape down the bowl, and fluff up the batter on high speed after incorporating each yolk. On low speed, blend in the dry ingredients, mixing just until completely moistened and incorporated.
• In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt to firm peaks, using the whisk attachment or a hand whisk. Stir in a third of the whites to lighten the cake batter, then gently fold in the remainder. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and spread it to fill the springform in a flat, even layer.
• Scatter the drained prune pieces all over the top of the batter, spaced evenly, covering the whole cake. Put the pan in the oven, and bake for about 45 minutes (rotating it after 25 minutes), as the batter rises around the prune pieces. When the top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, remove the cake to a wire cooling rack. Drizzle the remaining wine syrup all over the top of the warm cake, and let it cool for 1/2 hour or so before loosening and removing the side ring.
• Serve the torta slightly warm or at room temperature, cut in wedges-plain or topped with whipped cream.

VINETERTA

Steps:

• First, prepare the prune filling (this can be done way ahead of time):
• Cover 20-24 ounces of pitted prunes with boiling water in a saucepan.
• Once the prunes are softened, drain the water and put it aside for later.
• Puree prunes in a food processor and put them back into the saucepan.
• Add half cup of the reserved prune water to the puree and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Mix in 1 cup sugar and 2 tspn cinnamon.
• Boil off excess water until the mixture has the texture of jam (we will be spreading it). If the mixture is too thick, add in more reserved prune water.
• Remove from heat.
• Mix in 1 tspn vanilla extract.
• Set aside to cool.
• Next we do the second major section, preparing the layers:.
• Mix the following wet ingredients together in a mixer: 1 cup butter, 1.5 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tspn almond extract, 2 tbsp light cream.
• Mix dry ingredients in another mixing bowl: 4 cups flour, 1 pinch of salt, 1 tspn baking powder, 1/2 cup ground almonds (optional), 1 tspn cardamom (optional).
• Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well in the mixer.
• Remove the doughy mixture from the mixer and knead it around 10 times on countertop until it binds together. You will barely need to knead this, as it is not leavened.
• Chill dough for 20 minutes in refrigerator.
• Spread the dough into six 9" ungreased circular pans with palms until spread evenly across the bottom. If you don not have 6 pans, you can repeat this process 6 times with 1 pan, it will just take longer (or 3 times with 2 pans, et cetera).
• Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. (Jump ahead and do the icing if you are impatient.).
• Pop the layers out of the pans and cool on cooling racks.
• When all 6 layers are complete, assemble layers and prune filling by starting with a layer for the bottom. Spread on 1/5th of your filling onto the base layer, then add another layer cake, add another 1/5th - etc. repeat until your vineterta is complete.
• Prepare your icing by mixing the following with a beater in a mixing bowl: 3 tbsp softened butter, 3/4 cup powdered icing sugar, 2 tspn light cream, 1/4 cup ground almonds (optional), 1/8 tspn almond extract.
• Spread the icing on top of the vineterta.
• Decorate with icing with the sliced almonds.
• Chill everything and let it set.
• This torte may be kept in the fridge for extended length of time and is better for having been "aged" in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks to a month.
• When serving slice into small rectangular pieces (about 2" by 1", or smaller) and serve cold.

CHOCOLATE, WALNUT AND PRUNE FUDGE TORTE

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Dust pan with cocoa powder. Tap out excess. Wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil.
• Place prunes in small bowl. Pour 1 cup prune juice over. Set aside to macerate 15 minutes.
• Melt margarine in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add 3/4 cup cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Mix in walnuts and prune mixture. Cool to lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks, sugar and salt in large bowl at medium speed until well blended and just beginning to foam, about 1 minute. Add chocolate mixture and stir until well blended. Transfer batter to prepared springform pan. Set springform pan into large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Set baking pan in oven and bake cake until top looks dry and crusty and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes. Place in refrigerator uncovered and chill overnight.
• For Glaze:
• Bring juice and margarine to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Cool until thick but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• Line baking sheet with foil. Dip walnuts halfway into glaze. Arrange on prepared sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set.
• Meanwhile, using small sharp knife, cut around sides of cake to loosen. Release pan sides. Set cake on rack. Pour glaze over cake and spread to coat completely. Arrange walnuts, chocolate half at outer edge, around top cake. Refrigerate until glaze is completely set, at least 3 hours. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover loosely with foil or cake dome and keep refrigerated.) Cut cake into wedges and serve.