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Traditional German Plum Cake (Zwetschgenkuchen)
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5 from 5 votes

Traditional German Plum Cake (Zwetschgenkuchen)

Try this deliciously simple german plum cake with streusel. Made with a yeast dough and fresh Italian Plums
Course Dessert
Cuisine German
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 12 slices
Calories 366kcal
Author Marita

Ingredients

  • 300 g flour 10.5 oz, (Germany Type 405, UK Plain Flour, USA Pastry or cake flour)
  • 2 teaspoon instant yeast 1 packet, or ½ cube of fresh yeast
  • 125 ml milk
  • 40 g sugar 1.4 oz,
  • 150 g butter 5.2 oz at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 1 egg yolk
  • salt
  • butter to grease the pan (optional)

For the Crumble Topping

For the fruit topping

  • 1 kg italian prune plums

Instructions

  • Warm up the milk until it is lukewarm. Then add the yeast and sugar and mix well. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. You should see bubbles forming on the surface, which means the yeast is activated. If the yeast does not bubble, then the milk might be too hot, throw away and you start again.
  • Add the yeast milk to the flour, egg yolks, salt, lemon peel and butter. Using a stand or hand mixer with a dough hook, knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave to rise at a warm place for approx. 30 min see tips below for working with yeast)
  • In the meantime, place the butter in a saucepan and carefully melt it. Once it is melted remove from the heat and combine with the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Mix until you achieve a fine crumble.
  • Wash the plums and drain them. Slice them at both ends crosswise. On one of the ends, slice the prune open and remove the stone.
  • Preheat your oven to 200°C/392°F top to bottom heat.
  • Once the yeast dough has risen, briefly knead it on a floured surface. Then roll it out, using a rolling pin to the approximate size of your baking tray. Either line the baking tray with baking parchment or grease it with butter. Lay the rolled dough into the baking pan.
  • Arrange the plums like roof tiles (see picture) on the dough and sprinkle the crumble on top.
  • Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes.
  • Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Notes

Please see the step-by-step pictures in the main post. 

 

Baking with Yeast: Steps for Sucess

Baking with yeast is not rocket science. Here are my best tips to ensure that your yeast dough rises every time.
  • Use lukewarm milk. The microorganism in the yeast will activate through heat and sugar. The ideal temperature of the milk should be around 30-35°C / 86-95 °F. If the temperature rises above 45°C/113°F, the cells will die and your dough will not rise.
  • Make sure your yeast is in-date. Using out-of-date yeast is a common reason for the dough not rising.
  • 35°C/95 °F is the perfect temperature for the dough to rise. The temperature should not get hotter than 40 °C. If your kitchen is cooler, then preheat the oven to the lowest setting. Turn the oven off and place the dough in the oven. Cover it with a moist tea towel so it does not dry out. (If your lowest setting is hotter than 40 like mine 50, leave the door open for a couple of minutes before placing the dough in)
  • Knead the dough thoroughly - To ensure that the bread becomes light and fluffy you need to knead it for a long time. A well-kneaded dough hardly sticks. After the dough rises it is important to knead it again, as during the rising process gas bubbles form. This will ensure that your bread bakes evenly.

How to store plum cake

This Pflaumenkuchen tastes best fresh, as it made with a yeast dough. However it will keep in the fridge without any problems for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze it?

Yes this cake, without the cream, can be frozen in portions. It will stay good for up to three months. The crumbles might not be as crispy as they were before they were frozen.

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 796IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg