Zwetschgenkuchen — Plum Cake
A German snack built around all-purpose flour and active dry yeast — on the table in 80 minutes.
✓ USDA-verified nutrition data
320 calories
6g protein
54g carbs
10g fat
3g fiber
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 2.25 tsp Active dry yeast
- 0.75 cup Warm milk
- 6 tbsp Butter
- 0.5 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 lb Italian prune plums
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 0.5 cup All-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp Cold butter
- 0.33 cup Brown sugar
Steps
- Make a simple yeast dough and press it into a buttered sheet pan, letting it rise 20 minutes. This is a yeasted base, thin and bready — not a pie crust.
- Halve the plums and remove the pits. Arrange them cut-side up in tight, overlapping rows, pressing them into the dough. Use the small, oval Italian prune plums — big round plums are too watery.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and scatter the buttery streusel over the top. The streusel catches the plum juices and turns jammy in the oven.
- Bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes until the plums slump and the streusel is golden. The plums should look like they’re melting into the cake.
- Cool slightly and serve warm with softly whipped cream. In late summer, when zwetschgen are in season, this cake appears in every bakery window in Germany.