German Plum Cake is a classic late-summer dessert made with buttery shortcrust pastry, juicy plums, and a sweet crumb topping. It’s simple, rustic, and not too sweet – just perfect with a dusting of powdered sugar and a cup of coffee. This easy recipe comes together in one bowl and uses fresh, seasonal plums.
German Plum Cake
German plum cake — known as Zwetschgenkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen, or Zwetschgendatschi depending on the region, and as Zwetschkenkuchen in Austria — is a beloved late-summer dessert made with fresh plums and a simple, rustic dough.
In southern Germany, the traditional fruit used is Zwetschgen — small, oval-shaped European plums with deep blue skin and firm yellow flesh. In Austria, they’re called Zwetschken, while larger, rounder plums are known as Pflaumen. It’s a bit confusing, I know — but no matter what you call them, they’re all delicious! In the US, Zwetschgen are usually labeled as Italian plums or prune plums. These are perfect for baking: they hold their shape, don’t release too much liquid, and have a concentrated plum flavor. The bigger, rounder plums are juicier and slightly milder in taste, but still a great option.
You’ll find this cake in three classic versions: with Hefeteig (yeast dough), Mürbeteig (shortcrust pastry — like in this recipe, which is a bit like crumb bars), or Rührteig (a soft, fluffy batter, similar to pound cake). It’s usually topped with either a buttery streusel or just a dusting of powdered sugar.
This cake is not overly sweet — like many traditional German desserts — which makes it perfect for an afternoon treat with coffee. If you prefer it a bit sweeter, feel free to drizzle it with icing.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy recipe:
You can use any type of plum for this recipe, but for a more authentic flavor, choose Italian or prune plums if you can find them. Regular plums are juicier and have more flesh, but their flavor is milder and more watered down compared to prune plums. They also release more liquid during baking, so you’ll need to use fewer of them. You can see a comparison in the paragraph above.
How to make it step-by-step
STEP 1: Add the egg and egg yolk to a large mixing bowl and beat well. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl, then add all the remaining ingredients except the plums and demerara sugar.
(3 ½ cups (435g) flour, spooned and levelled, not scooped, 1 ¼ cups (280g) butter, cold, 1 ¾ cups (210g) powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, Zest of 1 lemon, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 1½ teaspoons baking powder)
Note: How to measure flour: I’m using the “spoon and level method”, so 1 cup of flour in my recipes weighs 125g. Fluff the flour by stirring it in the bag/flour container with a spoon. Spoon the flour and sprinkle it into your measuring cup. Sweep off the excess flour with the back of a knife. I recommend using a digital scale for perfect and consistent results.
STEP 2: Mix using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or your fingers until the mixture resembles a crumbly dough.
Remove 1/3 of the dough (for the streusel topping) and transfer it to a bowl. Refrigerate.
STEP 3: Mix the remaining dough a little longer, just until it comes together (don’t overmix!).
STEP 4: Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with butter and line it with parchment paper. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the pan, forming a 1-inch rim. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
STEP 5: Meanwhile, wash and halve the plums, removing the pits. If using larger, regular plums, cut them into quarters. If using smaller Italian/prune plums, just halve them. Make sure to use the correct amount of plums depending on the variety — regular plums release more liquid than Italian/prune plums, so you’ll need to use fewer of them.
(2 pounds + 4 ounces (1kg) Italian/prune plums or 30 ounces (850g) regular plums)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
STEP 6: Once the dough is chilled, arrange the plums, cut side up, tightly over the dough. They should overlap. It may seem like too many plums, but it isn’t — the streusel will absorb the extra juices and if you use less, the cake will be dry.
STEP 7: Crumble the reserved 1/3 dough over the plums to form the streusel topping.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of demerara sugar over the top.
STEP 8: Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the streusel is golden and the plums are bubbling.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Tastes great slightly warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Storage
Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days. The crust is crisp and buttery on the day of baking but becomes much softer the next day as it absorbs moisture from the plums. It still tastes great, but the texture is best when fresh.
More German dessert recipes
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| Nussmakronen (German Hazelnut Macaroons) | German Apple Pancake | Gingerbread squares with plum jam and chocolate (Lebkuchen cookies) |
German Plum Cake
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups (435g) flour spooned and levelled, not scooped
- 1 ¼ cups (280g) butter cold
- 1 ¾ cups (210g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 pounds + 4 ounces (1kg) Italian/prune plums or 30 ounces (850g) regular plums
- 1 tablespoon demerara sugar (for topping)
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Instructions
- Add the egg and egg yolk to a large mixing bowl and beat well. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl, then add all the remaining ingredients except the plums and demerara sugar.
- Mix using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or your fingers until the mixture resembles a crumbly dough. Remove 1/3 of the dough (for the streusel topping) and transfer it to a bowl. Refrigerate.
- Mix the remaining dough a little longer, just until it comes together (don’t overmix!).
- Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with butter and line it with parchment paper.
- Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the pan, forming a 1-inch rim. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash and halve the plums, removing the pits. If using larger, regular plums, cut them into quarters. If using smaller Italian/prune plums, just halve them. Make sure to use the correct amount of plums depending on the variety — regular plums release more liquid than Italian/prune plums, so you’ll need to use fewer of them.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Once the dough is chilled, arrange the plums, cut side up, tightly over the dough. They should overlap. It may seem like too many plums, but it isn’t — the streusel will absorb the extra juices and if you use less, the cake will be dry.
- Crumble the reserved 1/3 dough over the plums to form the streusel topping.
- Sprinkle demerara sugar over the top.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the streusel is golden and the plums are bubbling.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Tastes great slightly warm or at room temperature.
- Enjoy!
Notes
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