German Plum Cake Recipe – Pflaumenkuchen

German Plum Cake is called Pflaumenkuchen or Zwetschgenkuchen in Germany.

Ingredients for German Plum Cake:

• 2 kg (4.4 pounds) of Italian plums/prunes
• 500 g (17.6 ounces) of all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 125 g (4.4 ounces) of butter
• 1 cup of lukewarm milk
• 1 egg, XL
• 1 pouch of dry yeast, rapid rise
• 3 tablespoons of sugar

Preparation:

Sift the flour in a bowl and mix with sugar, salt and yeast. Add the eggs and cover them with the flour mix. Add lukewarm milk and melted butter. Mix all the ingredients with a handheld electrical mixer using the kneading hooks until the dough shows blisters and is smooth. With the help of a spatula, place the dough in a bowl covered with flour and let the dough rise for one hour or until it has doubled in size.

In the meantime, wash the plums and cut them so you can easily remove the pits, but make sure the fruit is still kept in one piece (on the side). 

                     

Cover a baking sheet (I use size 11″ x 17″) with baking paper. Spread the dough evenly on the baking sheet with a rolling pin or with your hands. Cover the dough and let it rise for 20 minutes. Set the plums in rows and press them slightly into the dough. Let the dough rise for another 20 minutes. 

Preheat your oven to 190°C – 200°C (375°F – 400°F). Place your German Plum Cake one rack below the top rack. Let it bake for about 30–40 minutes, remove from the oven and let it stand to cool down. Depending on the sweetness of your plums, you can sprinkle some sugar on the top of the cake, if necessary. 

To try the Authentic Apple Crumb Cake click here, the Traditional Rhubarb Cake click here, the Cherry Crumb Cake click here, and the Buchteln Recipe click here.