Step 1

Preheat the oven to 177C/350°F.Using a whisk, 'cream' the sugar and olive oil together until fully mixed, a little lighter in colour, and the sugar is starting to dissolve. Whisk in the eggs until fully incorporated.

Step 2

Switch to a rubber/silicone spatula. Sprinkle the flour, baking powder and salt over the olive oil mixture and mix/fold just enough so that you don't see any powdery bits.Pour the batter into an ungreased 20 to 25cm (8 to 10-inch) pan. It can be a springform, square, or a round cake pan. Scrape everything out of the mixing bowl and make sure the batter goes all the way to the inside edges of the pan.

Step 3

Place the plums cut-side down in one layer all over the top of the batter. Sprinkle with optional lemon juice. Sprinkle 1-3t (3t=1T) cinnamon over the top - you might want to start with the smaller amount the first time you make this cake. Sprinkle 1 to 2T of sugar over the cinnamon. How much sugar you use is determined by how sweet your fruit is and how much you like a crackled top on your cake (more sugar = sweeter and more of a crust).

Step 4

Bake for about 45 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a skewer or a toothpick into the middle of the cake. It should come out clean or with a little crumb or two but it shouldn't be  goopy. If it looks like there is batter/goop on your skewer, pop the torte back in the oven for a bit.When the torte is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool on a rack for 15-20 minutes. Run a knife around the outside and let cool completely.