🇩🇪 Traditional German Plum Cake (Zwetschgenkuchen)

Prep Time: 25 min | Rising Time: 1–1.5 hrs | Bake Time: 30–40 min
Servings: One 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) sheet cake

🍑 Ingredients:

For the yeast dough:

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
• 75 g (1/3 cup) sugar
• 250 ml (1 cup) warm milk
• 75 g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch salt
  
  
  

For the topping:

• 1.5–2 kg (3.5–4.5 lbs) ripe plums (Zwetschgen preferred), pitted and quartered
• 2–3 tbsp sugar (optional, depending on sweetness of plums)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Optional Streusel Topping:

• 150 g (1 1/4 cups) flour
• 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
• 100 g (7 tbsp) cold butter, cubed
• 1 tsp vanilla sugar or a pinch of cinnamon

🥣 Instructions:

1. Prepare the yeast dough:

1. In a large bowl, mix warm milk and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, stir, and let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy.
2. Add melted butter, egg, flour, and salt. Knead until smooth (8–10 minutes by hand or with a dough hook).
3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

2. Prepare the plums:

• Wash, halve, and pit the plums. Cut into quarters if large. Let drain in a colander.

3. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

Grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

4. Roll out and top the dough:

• Roll out the dough to fit the baking sheet and press it evenly into the pan.
• Layer the plum quarters tightly in rows, skin-side down and slightly overlapping.

5. (Optional) Make the Streusel:

• Combine flour, sugar, butter, and vanilla sugar or cinnamon. Rub into coarse crumbs with your fingers.
• Sprinkle evenly over the plums.

6. Bake:

• Bake for 30–40 minutes until the dough is golden and the fruit is bubbly.
• Let cool slightly and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.

🍰 Serving Tips:

• Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Delicious with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Keeps well covered for 2–3 days.