German Plum Cake

Name: German Plum Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 2 cups bread flour; 1 tsp instant yeast; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 tsp salt; 2/3 cup whole milk, warm; 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 egg yolk; 2 lbs fresh plums, halved and pitted; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 6 tbsp brown sugar; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

A buttery yeast cake topped with fresh plums and a cinnamon-sugar streusel. A classic German dessert that's fruity, tender, and irresistible.

70 minMediumServes 8350 cal/serving

GermanDessertOvenStandard

Ingredients

2 cups bread flour
1 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup whole milk, warm
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg yolk
2 lbs fresh plums, halved and pitted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1

Mix 2 cups bread flour, 1 tsp instant yeast, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt.
2

Add 2/3 cup warm whole milk, 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter, and 1 egg yolk. Mix until a soft dough forms.
3

Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes in a warm place.
4

Preheat oven to 375°F. Press dough into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan, stretching gently to fit.
5

Arrange 2 lbs halved and pitted fresh plums skin-side down in a slightly overlapping pattern over the dough.
6

Make the streusel: mix 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 6 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon.
7

Cut in 4 tbsp cubed cold unsalted butter with a fork or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
8

Sprinkle streusel evenly over the plums.
9

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake is golden and plums are tender.
10

Cool slightly before serving. Best served warm with a dollop of sour cream or whipped cream.

Questions

Can I make German Plum Cake dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 2/3 cup whole milk, warm, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed. Swap the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk; the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make German Plum Cake gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 2 cups bread flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Can I make German Plum Cake ahead?

Yes, it takes well to being made ahead. Store it airtight: two to three days at room temperature or up to a week refrigerated. It freezes for up to two months; thaw at room temperature.

Can I halve or double German Plum Cake?

Yes. As written it serves 8. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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