German Plum Cake (Pflaumenkuchen)
Serves 18
30 mins prep
65 mins cook
95 mins total
This authentic German plum cake tastes just like Oma's and is the best way to celebrate plum season. Start with a cookie-like crust on the bottom topped with a German cheesecake layer. Then pile on loads of fresh plums AND finally some buttery streusel.
This plum cake is perfect with a cup of coffee and freezes incredibly well for future Kaffee and Kuchen dates (so you only have to bake this cake once every season).
The fruit can be switched out for other fruit, and apricots, cherries, apples, rhubarb or raspberries are often used in German sheet cakes like this one.
Bottom Layer Dough
Cheesecake Layer
Streusel Topping
Fruit
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Make the bottom crust
For the cookie-like cake, knead together all dough ingredients until you achieve a dough with smooth consistency.
39 grams all purpose flour11 ⅕ grams sugar19 grams butter⅕ teaspoon baking powder¼ eggs⅕ teaspoon vanilla extract⅕ pinch saltForm into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ or 180℃ (conventional setting, NOT convection).
Roll out the dough onto the baking sheet or press it down using your fingers and palms.
Poke holes into the dough using a fork and par-bake for 10 minutes.
Cheesecake Layer
In the meantime, beat together soft butter and sugar until foamy. Add in the eggs one at a time. Add in the quark, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice and beat until incorporated.
15 ⅗ grams butter19 grams sugar½ eggs⅕ kilogram quark4 ½ grams cornstarch⅕ lemonUsing a spatula, spread onto the par-baked crust and bake for 30 more minutes.
Fruit
For the topping, prep your plums by washing, cutting them in half, removing the stones and cutting into wedges (about 8 wedges per plum).
⅕ kilograms fresh plums
Streusel
For the streusel, using your hands, knead together flour, almond flour, butter and sugar, then crumble it apart with your fingers to make the streusel.
13 ⅓ grams flour6 ⅔ grams almond flour9 grams butter6 ⅔ grams sugarAfter the second stage of baking is finished, remove cake from the oven, and evenly distribute the plums first (I like to make pretty rows), and then the streusel.
Bake for another 25 minutes (you may also turn on your broiler for a couple of minutes towards the end to add an extra golden color to the streusel).
Serve with some fresh whipped cream (I add a little bit of powdered sugar and some vanilla extract in mine) and a cup of coffee. Oma will be so proud!
