Trader Joe’s New Torte Might Be Its Classiest Dessert Yet

Let it never be said that Trader Joe’s doesn’t know how to offer a touch of class. Even some of its more basic items have a slightly elevated feel to them, and beloved candies like its dark chocolate peanut butter cups somehow manage to bring a sense of maturity to the table – while still being, y’know, down-the-line candy. It’s amazing what dark chocolate can do. 

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Every now and again, though, Trader Joe’s goes full elegance, and this week, it’s done that while also ushering in autumn with a new dessert. This one made me very hungry. 

Trader Joe’s Plum Torte

The arrival of fall has also seen the arrival of Trader Joe’s new Plum Torte, which has begun popping up in stores. Sadly available for a limited time only, this torte is Canadian-made and partly baked, with you just having to finish it off at home. Combining juicy plums with a spongy batter and dusted with powdered sugar, it’s simple, but boy, is it effective. 

We know this because Trader Joe’s shoppers have already started trying it out, and they’re very pleased. “It’s really tasty,” said one person on Reddit, with another shopper saying how tender it was. Pleasingly, too, Trader Joe’s Plum Torte is pretty big – and while at $7.99 it’s not exactly cheap, its size somewhat justifies its price. 

It Feels Like We’ve Been Here Before…

Yes, if Trader Joe’s plum torte feels familiar, there may be a reason for that. One of the main things people are pointing out about this dessert is that it seems to be an imitation (or should we say, spinoff?) of food writer Marian Burros’ famous plum torte recipe, first published in 1983 in the New York Times, and which has since gone down in food legend. Honestly, if you put pictures of each side-by-side, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference – and if you’re nowhere near a Trader Joe’s, that recipe is not only very easy to find, but very simple. 

For those of you who are within driving distance of this store, though, the Plum Torte is available now, and I’d imagine it’ll be around for a couple of months. You can find it amongst the other fall-themed items that Trader Joe’s has dropped this week, including its Pumpkin Spiced Joe-Joe’s Sandwich Cookies and Fall Leaf Shaped Italian Pasta. Let it never be said that it doesn’t lean into the spirit of the season.