Best 5 German Plum Cake Crust Recipes

GERMAN PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Beat white sugar, softened butter, and eggs together in a bowl until creamy. Whisk 2 cups flour and baking powder together in another bowl. And flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until just combined. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Arrange plums on top of butter mixture in the baking dish.
• Stir brown sugar, 2 cups flour, and 1/2 cup cold butter together in a bowl until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Spread crumble mixture over plums in the baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake is set and plums are soft, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool for 1 hour before slicing.

GERMAN PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar, vanilla, egg, lemon peel, sour cream and salt (if desired).
• Mix the flour and baking powder and add that into the mixture.
• Grease the base of a round baking pan and spread the dough over the pan.
• Liberally spread plums over the dough.
• To make the optional topping, cream the butter, add flour, sugar and cinnamon.
• Sprinkle over the plums and bake for 30-45 minutes in the middle rack at 375 F.
• Be careful not to let the bottom burn!
• Serve with lots of freshly-made whipped cream.
• If you like, you may also sprinkle rum or cinnamon over the fruit before baking.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN PLUM CAKE (ZWETSCHGENKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Sift flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Crumble yeast into well and mix it with 1 tablespoon of sugar, milk and some flour. This first yeast-mixture should be still fluid. Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes.
• Add remaining sugar, melted butter, egg and a good pinch of salt and mix with yeast mixture and flour. Knead with floured hands until dough is peeling away from the side of the bowl and blistering. This step may take 10 minutes (or more). Use some additional flour, if dough is too sticky. At the end you should have a smooth dough.
• Cover and let rise in warm place for about 25 to 30 minutes or until dough has doubled.
• Meanwhile prepare the plums. Cut lengthwise and pit them. Cut the still connected plum halves once again lengthwise, but do not cut through. You should have a depitted plum which you can easily flatten.
• Grease backing tray. Dough is calculated for a baking tray of 11 3/4 x 15 inches.
• Remove yeast dough from bowl, knead once or twice and roll out on baking tray using a floured rolling pin. Along the sides of the baking tray form a border with yeast dough.
• Place plums on yeast dough in closely rows and press slightly into dough. Let rise again for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven (425 F, 220 C).
• Bake the plum cake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile mix sugar and ground cinnamon for topping.
• Remove plum cake from oven and sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Cut into 20 pieces and serve warm or cold with whipped cream.
• NOTE on Baker's yeast: If possible use fresh baker's yeast. But you can replace it by 1 1/2 packages dry yeast.
• NOTE on Damson Plums: a traditional German Plum Cake is made with the slightly tart and not too juicy Damson Plums. You can also use other plum varieties, but the plums shouldn't be over-ripped or too juicy. I have tried it with other plum varieties and have reduced amount of sugar in topping.
• NOTE on traditional German Plum Cake: in my opinion this cake has to be made with yeast dough. It takes more time to make than other doughs, but it is worthwhile. Don't be afraid of the juices. This cake has to be juicy!
• There are existing several names for this type of frutit cake in Germany: Zwetschgenkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen and in Bavaria Zwetschgendatschi. Zwetschgen is the German name for Damson plums.

GERMAN PLUM TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and 3 tablespoons sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk. Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until mixture forms a soft dough. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-in. pie plate., Arrange plums, skin side up with edges overlapping, in crust; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit is tender.

GERMAN PLUM CAKE WITH STREUSEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch springform pan.
• Lay plum slices flat in a single layer on paper towels to dehydrate slightly while you prepare the cake.
• Prepare almond crust: Mix almonds and sour cream in a saute pan. Gently saute over medium heat, being careful not to overcook, until almonds are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add salt. Crush almonds manually into smaller pieces and distribute evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Prepare batter: mix marzipan and softened butter in a large bowl until mostly well blended. Mix in 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar and lemon zest until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Whisk 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour with baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until well combined.
• Place large spoonfuls of batter over the almond crust. Use the spoon to carefully push the top of the batter from the center of the pan outwards towards the edges, spreading evenly and being careful not to displace the almonds.
• Arrange multiple layers of plum slices over the batter, pressing down a bit after each layer, except the top one; you will likely have 3 to 4 plum layers.
• Prepare streusel: Mix sugar, melted butter, and vanilla in a bowl until well combined. Blend in 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour by hand until crumbly. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the cake.
• Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Start checking for doneness at about 48 minutes, though it may take 10 minutes longer if the plums are very juicy. Do not overcook the streusel layer.
• Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Remove sides and let cool completely before serving, about 30 minutes.