For the Torte:

½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup Love'n Bake ™ Almond Paste

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

pinch salt

about 2 pounds ripe plums such as Santa Rosa or prune plums, cut in half or    quartered if large and pitted

½ teaspoon cinnamon combined with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

whipped cream or ice cream

For the Fresh Plum Sauce:

1 ½ cups thinly sliced ripe plums, about 2 large Santa Rosa plums

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 10-inch cake or tart pan generously with butter.  Sprinkle it with 1 Tablespoon of the sugar. Set aside.

Beat the almond paste and ½ cup of the sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle.

Add the butter and beat on medium high speed until the butter is well incorporated into the paste mixture, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, flour, baking powder and salt.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, leveling it with a knife or spatula.

Arrange the plums, skin side up in a circular fashion covering the entire surface of the batter.  Place smaller slices in the center. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake until the batter puffs and browns and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Serve the cake while still slightly warm cut into wedges with whipped cream or ice cream.  Drizzle some of the Fresh Plum Sauce over the tart if desired.

To make the Fresh Plum Sauce:

Heat the sliced plums, sugar and lemon juice in a shallow skillet over medium low heat until the plums loose some juice and the sugar dissolves, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.