German Plum Cake (Zwetschgenkuchen)
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This authentic German Plum Cake recipe, known as Zwetschgenkuchen or Zwetschgendatschi, is made just the way you know and love it from Germany! A yeast-based cake with juicy plums and a sweet streusel topping, this extraordinarily delicious cake is one of my very favorites and is the way my Mutti and Oma made it!
For more fruity German cakes be sure to also try our German Apple Cake, Rhubarb Streusel Cake, and while not exactly “cake,” our Apple Strudel is a must!
Depending on which region of Germany you’re in, German plum cake goes by a variety of names including Zwetschgenkuchen, Zwetschgendatschi, Quetschekuche or Pflaumenkuchen. I know, they’re all tongue-twisters! :)
Variations exist throughout the regions of Germany with some versions using a yeast dough while others use a shortcrust pastry known as Rührteig. Some have a streusel topping while others omit it. And some people make them round and taller while others make them rectangular in the style known as “Blechkuchen” (sheet pan cake). But whichever pastry crust is used, with or without streusel, and whether it’s round or rectangular, all of these versions showcase the plump, juicy, sweet European plums known as Italian plums.
Which Plums Do I Need to Make German Plum Cake?
To make proper German plum cake you really need Italian plums. These are small and oval-shaped and are far meatier than their Asian plum cousins. Fleshier with a lower moisture content is important because you want to have a moist cake, not a mushy cake. Italian plums are considered the most ideal for cooking and baking not only because of their texture but also because their flavor becomes more complex and delicious through cooking. Italian plum season is short, usually from September through early October, and Germans know how to seize the opportunity when it’s there. So wait patiently for plum season and then hit your local farmer’s markets for some Italian plums. Alternatively you can also use frozen Italian plums; just be sure to thaw and very thoroughly drain them before using them.
We were so lucky to have our own Italian plum trees when we lived in Washington State. When we moved to Virginia a few years ago we immediately got to work planting an orchard of fruit trees, including some Italian plums. They’re not yielding a lot of fruit yet, but they’re getting there and I’ll be ready for them!
The version of German Plum Cake that we’re making today is my personal favorite. It’s made with yeast dough, which is more time-consuming than the simpler Rührteig (shortcrust pastry) versions, but it’s far superior in my opinion. This traditional version is also sprinkled with a streusel topping. This Zwetschgenkuchen recipe is the way my Mutti and Oma made it and is typical of where I’m from in Baden-Württemberg, though this version is popular throughout Germany. This type of Zwetschgenkuchen is typically made on a Backblech (a baking sheet) versus in a round springform and cut into squares for serving.
Like most German cakes, this German plum cake is not overly sweet. It has a nice balance between sweet and tart with just a touch of warmth from the cinnamon. The riper the plums the sweeter the cake will be.
This German plum cake will keep for 2-3 days. And although the streusel will get soft, the cake tastes even better the day after baking as the juices from the plums have time to penetrate the dough.
Can I Use Other Fruits?
You sure can! This recipe is also delicious using other stone fruits like apricots, peaches and nectarines.
Can You Freeze German Plum Cake?
Yes, you can. I generally recommend eating it within a couple of days but if you have more leftovers than you can manage, this can be wrapped and put in a freezer container for up to a month. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
German Plum Cake Recipe
Let’s get started!
Dissolve the yeast into the warm milk and let is sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and pour in the yeast mixture, melted warm (not hot) butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Give it an initial stir to combine the ingredients and then attach a dough hook and knead it on the bread setting (“2”) for 4-5 minutes.
The dough will be sticky but should hold together fairly well. It will not be firm enough to knead into a ball, think of it more as a thick batter.
Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and set it in a warm, draft free place to rise for an hour or until about doubled in size.
Generously butter a large jelly roll pan (at least 18 inches in length and about 13 inches wide) or, like I’m using and as pictured below, a German Backblech if you have one (the one I’m using in the picture I brought with me from Germany).
Use your hands to spread the dough out across the full length of the pan, pressing it up against the sides. It’s yeast dough so it will resist, but just keep pushing it back into position the best you can. Once you put the plums on it, those will help keep it in place.
Time for the plums! The riper the plums the sweeter the cake will be. However, if they’re overly ripe – meaning mushy – they’ll be even mushier on the finished baked product, so keep that in mind too.
Cut the plums in half and remove the pits. Then slice the plums in half again, slicing each plum into quarters.
Lay the plums close together in rows over the whole length of the dough on the sheet pan.
If you want your cake a bit sweeter you can sprinkle it *lightly* with sugar or cinnamon-sugar if you prefer more cinnamon. I emphasize “lightly” because the more sugar you add the more watery the cake will be as the sugar liquifies during baking and your streusel will also “melt” in contact with it.
Set the pan in a warm place and let it rise for up to another hour.
Now let’s make the streusel topping. Place all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and use your fingers to bring it all together. Work with the mixture until it’s thoroughly combined and forms a rough sand and clumpy texture.
Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the cake.
Bake the cake on the middle rack of the oven preheated to 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden.
Let the cake sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing to let some of the liquid set.
Slice the cake into squares.
A tool that I use that’s really handy and works like a charm for sheet cakes and many other things is the OXO Multi-Purpose Scraper & Chopper.
Serve and enjoy!
Guten Appetit!
For more delicious German desserts be sure to try our:
- German Apple Cake
- German Cheesecake
- Berliner
- Dampfnudeln
- Germknödel
- Cherry Marzipan Streusel Cake
- Gugelhupf
- Stollen
- Rhubarb Streusel Cake
- Pfeffernüsse
- Lebkuchen
- Zimtsterne
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German Plum Cake (Zwetschgenkuchen)
Ingredients
- 3 + pounds Italian plums ,cut into quarters, pits removed
- 1 cup warm milk , *start with 3/4 and add extra to the dough as needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter (1/2 cup melted but not hot)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon quality pure vanilla extract
- For the Streusel:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter ,at room temperature
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast into the 3/4 cup warm milk and let is sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
- Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and pour in the yeast mixture, melted warm (not hot) butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Give it an initial stir to combine the ingredients and then attach a dough hook and knead it on the bread setting ("2") for 4-5 minutes, adding the remaining 1/4 cup milk as necessary. (The dough will be sticky but should hold together fairly well. It will not be firm enough to knead into a ball, think of it more as a thick batter.) Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and set it in a warm, draft free place to rise for an hour or until about doubled in size.
- Generously butter a German Backblech extended to full length or a large jelly roll pan (at least 18 inches in length and 1 inch sides but even then the crust will be thicker than with the Backblech).
- Use your hands to spread the dough out across the full length of the pan, pressing it up against the sides. (It's yeast dough so it will resist, but just keep pushing it back into position the best you can. Once you put the plums on it, those will help keep it in place.) Lay the plums close together in rows over the whole length of the dough on the sheet pan. (If you want your cake a bit sweeter you can sprinkle it *lightly* with sugar or cinnamon-sugar if you prefer more cinnamon. I emphasize "lightly" because the more sugar you add the more watery the cake will be as the sugar liquifies during baking and your streusel will also "melt" in contact with it.)
- Set the pan in a warm place and let it rise for up to another hour.
- To make the streusel: Place all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and use your fingers to bring it all together. Work with the mixture until it's thoroughly combined and forms a rough sand and clumpy texture. Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the cake.
- Bake the cake on the middle rack of the oven preheated to 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden.
- Let the cake sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing to let some of the liquid set. Slice the cake into squares and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 8, 2016
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I’m so excited to try your recipe…I have tried several other recipes over the years, trying to match my Swiss mom’s recipe, but haven’t found it yet. (By the way, my father was born in Germany, as were my brothers…I’m first American born, so German/Swiss cooking and especially baking is what I grew up with.) I have so many of my mom’s cookbooks (several Dr. Oetker) but not quite sure which recipe she used. Can’t wait to try yours! By the way, I have been freezing my Italian plums with great success for year. Quarter and pit them, lay flat on a cookie sheet and freeze, then put into freezer bags for baking throughout the year. (I don’t dip in lemon as suggested by another reader, and mine stay beautiful.) I really notice no difference between baking the fresh plums vs. from frozen, and no need to defrost them at all. Just arrange frozen quarters and pop into the oven with whatever recipe you are using!
Thanks for the tip, Linda. I’m going to freeze a bunch this year as well. Please let us know what you think of this cake when you try it!
Hi Kimberly, I’ve made your recipe several times now and it is wonderful…very close to what I recall my mother making. Although she didn’t do the crumble topping, but I think it makes it even more delicious. I have wrapped and frozen individual slices because a whole recipe is too much for 2 of us to eat in a few days. But I can grab a frozen slice and take it with me to work and in a short while it is just as wonderful as fresh baked. In fact, I think this kuchen actually gets better after being refrigerated and the crust becomes more moist. I LOVE this recipe and have shared it (link to your web page) on my Swiss-American Facebook group. Thank you so much!
That’s wonderful, Linda, I’m so happy to hear that and really appreciate the feedback, thank you! Warmly, Kimberly
I should have added…that it is now November and I just made it again using my frozen quartered plums…you cannot tell the difference from when I used the fresh plums! I still have several gallon bags in the freezer so this will become a regular treat throughout the winter!
That’s great to know, Linda, thanks for sharing! I froze at least a dozen gallon bags of plums from our Italian plum trees this year so I’ll be making more plum cake throughout the Winter as well! :)
Finally found your recipe site !
Getting ready to make your Zwetschgenkuchen . I lived in Stuttgart/Degerloch for many years until we moved to Ulm .
Thanks for a great recipe site.
Danke schoen !
Helga
Bitte schön, Helga, I’m so happy you found us! :) Happy baking and I hope you enjoy the cake!
Absolutely delicious!!! When I lived in Germany I used to go down to the bakery in my town this time of year and buy freshly baked plum cake with streusel. I just made this recipe and it brought back those memories. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
These are my all-time favorite plums. So many memories are associated with them. I’ve never used the yeasted type cake base for plum kuchen. Something to add to the repertoire. Nom Nom.
Hi Kristen, I love both types but the yeast dough is my favorite. I hope you enjoy it, too. Happy baking! :)
Thank you, Kimberly!
Dearest Kimberley. Greetings from New York!
Your Zwetschgenkuchen post was very timely and so beautiful.
My Mom is also from Stuttgart and we enjoyed the start to Labor Day weekend by baking one too! So delicious and sign that summer is slowly coming to an end. We take every chance to bake when we find Italian plums in our local supermarket.
We bake with the seasons so once the plums are finished we will move our sights to Zweibelkuchen. Our mouths watered from your Zweibelkuchen post last Fall!
Winter and Christmas are coming too and I can never get enough Hutzelbrot (dried fruit cake). My uncle used to send it from Germany. I long to make it from scratch but it sounds rather complicated.
Would love it if you could post about Hutzelbrot 🙏
Best of luck with all your Pflaumen.
Hi Ava, that’s wonderful! I am not in the least bit ready for Summer to end but yes, it’s dishes like glorious Zwiebelkuchen that make the transition to cooler seasons worth it! :) I’ve made a note about the Hutzelbrot :)
Zwiebelkuchen! Another wonderful childhood memory. I haven’t had it since I left Germany more than 30 years ago. I better look for Kimberly’s post about it!
Here you go, Ingrid! :) https://www.daringgourmet.com/zwiebelkuchen-german-onion-pie/ NOTHING says Autumn quite like Zwiebelkuchen!
The last Time I made Zwiebelkuchen must have been 20 years ago.
Made it fora 80 year old Customer was from the Swabian Region in Germany. He was one of my Customers when I was still working as MeterReader for the Utility Company.
This was one of my favorite cakes as a child growing up in Stuttgart. My mom made it multiple times during plum season. While I have a lot of my mom’s recipes for her amazing cakes, her plum cake recipe was not part of the collection, so this is wonderful, thank you!
Wonderful, Ingrid! It’s always been one of my favorites, too. I also grew up in Stuttgart, the heart of Swabia and home to Germany’s best cuisine :) By the way, my mom’s name is Ingrid and it’s also our daughter’s middle name :)
Small world! Ingrid is such a rare name in the US, it’s always fun to hear about other Ingrids. And you are so right about Swabia being home to Germany’s best cuisine. I recently came across this book, an entire chapter is devoted to Swabian cuisine, you (and perhaps some of your other readers from that part of Germany) may enjoy it: https://amzn.to/2wyXRm7
Too many plums?? Slice the plums in half, remove the pits, dip the cut side unto lemon juice, place cut side down on a baking sheet, put into freezer, freeze till frozen, put into freezer bags, (I usually put in as many halves as you need for a cake), and place back into freezer. Excellent for use during the long winter months to bake Dutch plum cake or crumble. Works on yeast dough as well, but takes longer for dough to rise, I usually partly thaw them for yeast cakes. Enjoy.
Great tip, Luise, thanks for sharing!