German Plum Cake is a juicy coffee cake made with a simple batter, fresh plums, and a sweet, crumbly streusel topping! So easy to make from scratch.
Traditional German Plum Cake, Zwetschgenkuchen or Pflaumenkuchen in German, is made with fresh, juicy plums and is so simple to make, just like our German Apple Cake. This cake is very juicy and tastes delicious for dessert or brunch topped it with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
There are many different versions of plum cake in Germany, some are made with yeast dough (Zwetschgendatschi) and baked on a “Backblech” (baking sheet) but this “Rührteig” based recipe is very popular because it is easier and quicker to make. In Germany, this kind of cake is often served in the afternoon for “Kaffee und Kuchen” (Coffee and Cake time).
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Works with plums and other stone fruit like peaches or apricots
- A great way to use seasonal produce
- Simple recipe made with pantry ingredients
- Perfect to make in advance, cake even better on the next day
Ingredient Notes
Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.
- Plums – You need fresh plums for this recipe. Any kind will work but European plums like Italian prune plums or Empress plums (Zwetschgen) are traditionally used in Germany.
- Flour – All-purpose flour works best, you can also use cake flour if you have it on hand.
- Vanilla Extract – I use lemon extract but in Germany, you would use vanilla sugar instead.
- Lemon zest – Fresh lemon zest adds lots of flavor and freshness to the cake but you can leave it out if you don’t have any lemons on hand.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter in all my baking recipes. (Did you know that salted butter is not a thing in Germany?) Make sure the butter is at room temperature for both the cake batter and the streusel topping.
- Eggs – The eggs need to be at room temperature for the best results otherwise they cool down the butter. Putting the eggs in a bowl with hot water for a few minutes works well!
How to make this recipe
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found at the bottom of the page on the printable recipe card.
- Make the cake batter: Combine flour and baking powder, then add sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, butter, and eggs to the bowl and beat until smooth. Spread the batter evenly into the greased springform pan.
- Prep the Plums: Pit and quarter the plums. If you use larger plums slice them into eighth. Gently place the plums in a concentric pattern on top of the batter, slightly overlapping each other.
- Make the Streusel: Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Add soft butter and beat until everything is combined and your crumbs have a coarse and crumbly texture.
- Bake: Sprinkle the streusel evenly on top of the plums. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the top of the cake is lightly golden. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Expert Tips
- Traditionally this cake is made with prune plums. They are also often called Empress plums, Italian Prune Plums, or “Zwetschgen” in German. But any other type of plum works too!
- You could also use any other stone fruit for this recipe. Peaches, apricots, or nectarines are all a great choice just make sure to not overload the cake with juicy fruit otherwise it might not bake all the way through.
- A springform works best for this recipe. It makes it easier to get the cake out of the pan and is also great for storing the cake.
- You can double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13-inch cake pan. The cake will need a few more minutes to bake so keep an eye on it and test it with a skewer before taking it out of the oven.
- When making the streusel make sure to beat until coarse crumbs form and all the flour has been incorporated. You don’t want tiny, floury crumbs but big crumbs!
- Every oven is different so the baking time can vary by a few minutes! Extra juicy fruit will also influence the cooking time.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any type of plum for this recipe but smaller, more tart plums work best. My first choice are Italian Prune Plums or Damsons plums but any kind of plum works. They shouldn’t be overly ripe and depending on the size you need to slice them into eighths or quarters.
Italian Prune Plums are also called Empress Plums. These European-style plums are small, dense, and egg-shaped with blue or purple skin, and yellow flesh. Their pits separate easily from the flesh. These plums are perfect for baking and hit the markets at the end of August.
The pits are easy to remove. Cut the plum along the seam that runs from top to bottom. Flip the plum open, remove the pit, and cut the plum into quarters.
Looking for more German Cake Recipes?
- German Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
- German Apple Streusel Sheet Cake
- Covered German Apple Cake Recipe
- Black Forest Cake
What to serve with German Plum Cake
This cake as well as many cakes made with fruit, like my German Apple Cake or German Strawberry Cake, tastes even better with whipped cream on top. Making homemade whipped cream is so much easier than you think, you’ll never buy the canned stuff again!
A scoop of canilla ice cream goes also very well with this cake, especially if it is still a bit warm! So delicious!
Leftovers
This cake keeps well for a few days at room temperature. It will get moister with time so it is perfect to make in advance.
Freezing
This cake can be frozen but the streusel topping might not be as crispy after defrosting the cake.
More German recipes to try
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German Plum Cake
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs plums, pitted and quartered
For the cake batter:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest, freshly grated (optional)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
For the streusel:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray with cooking spray or lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine flour and baking powder. Add sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, butter, and eggs to the bowl and beat on low speed until combined then increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Spread the batter evenly into the cake pan. Gently place the plums in a concentric pattern on top of the batter, slightly overlapping each other (see picture).
- Make the streusel: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Add soft butter and beat until everything is combined and your crumbs have a coarse and crumbly texture about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Using your hands sprinkle the streusel evenly on top of the plums.
- Bake for about 50 minutes or until the top of the cake is lightly golden. Test with a skewer for doneness. Let the cake sit in the pan for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove the outer ring of the springform. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Traditionally this cake is made with Italian Prune Plums. They are also often called Empress plums, prune plums, or “Zwetschgen” in German. But any other kind of plum work too!
- You could also use any other stone fruit for this recipe. Peaches, apricots, or nectarines are all a great choice just make sure to not overload the cake with juicy fruit otherwise it might not bake all the way through.
- A springform works best for this recipe. It makes it easier to get the cake out of the pan and is also great for storing the cake.
- You can double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13-inch cake pan. The cake will need a few more minutes to bake so keep an eye on it and test it with a skewer before taking it out of the oven.
- When making the streusel make sure to beat until coarse crumbs form and all the flour has been incorporated. You don’t want tiny, floury crumbs but big crumbs!
- Every oven is different so the baking time can vary by a few minutes! Extra juicy fruit will also influence the cooking time.
Nutrition Information
This post was originally published in 2016.
Sarah says
Followed the recipe exactly. Looked beautiful. Went to cut into it, completely liquid in centre (as another commenter found) and central plums completely raw. Oven is working and at correct temperature, so not sure why this happened but was a birthday disaster :(
Barb says
Very good recipe. And used apples too
May try blueberries
Vicki says
This recipe is amazing, so simple to make, which is great because I love baking but nothing too complex! And my picky family absolutely loved it, so much that have made it 3x this month. Make sure butter and eggs are room temp for best results and the lemon zest takes it to the next level so highly recommend not skipping that step. Haven’t perfected the streusel yet, it comes out super fine for me, but still tastes amazing- Thank you for a great easy recipe!
Lynn Paolucci says
Making this a 3rd time. Has become a favorite in my house. I do add almond extract and use less sugar. Thanks for sharing!
Debi Mansour says
Just put it in the oven! Added a bit of zest to the streusel, too. Believe it will taste like my Omi’s. I’m 72, born in Berlin, and love making German food. Vielen Dank for das Rezept. Making this for my husband Charlie’s 78th bday. ❤ Debi
Julia Foerster says
Debi, hope you love it! Happy Birthday, Charlie!
Doreen Mc Clarty says
I have made this quite a number of times using plums and other fruit and always a hit… My German hubby loves it… We eat it with whipped cream…
Val says
An awesome German Plum Cake recipe! It is just like my mother-in-law’s ! I as well have tried different fruit with huge success. Husband is so happy! Definitely have to have the whipping cream!
Jay says
The cake tasted delicious. However, I had to double the ingredients to fit in a n 9 inch springform?
Dawn says
Thank you for this recipe. Its just like my Oma makes!
Angie says
This recipe makes a bakery quality cake.
Everyone loved it.
I have made it twice so far and it’s a definite keeper.
Make sure to add the lemon zest as directed. The lemon gives it the extra “touch”
Uta Haley says
Pflaumenkuchen success! using your recipe. Schmeckt wie bei meine Oma. And I’m 70 years old. Lol. Love this site. Thank you / I’ll be trying more of these recipes. Vielen, vielen Dank!
Asha says
Thank you Julia, it came out so good! Our family all loved it.
Jenny says
Thanks Julia for the recipe! A hit with german friends even though I used canned whole plums (not in season here). It’s definitely a recipe I would remake!
I used a hand electric mixer, mixed streusel with fingers and broke it up a lot smaller- more like a crumb and switched to grill in the last 5mins to give the streusel a little more colour + crunch. Turned out great!
Kristen says
Thank you! I’m an American in Germany and this tastes like the real-deal. I have a lot of plums to use so may make another soon! Very easy.
Jenny says
Hi, is the yeast version significantly better? I’m wondering if my german friend would be bothered by this one compared to yeast version?
Jocelyn says
Can you make without a stand-up mixer??
Jocelyn says
I just watched the video – question answered!
Rhys says
Hi
If you wanted to use a 11in tin would you increase the weights?
R
Julia Foerster says
Sorry, Rhys, I haven’t tested this recipe with that size of pan so I’m not sure.
Dr Allewanly Shilla says
I baked this cake for the first time with fresh plums from my garden . It is amazing and very delicious. I only made the mistake of measuring the butter in grams which is 65 gms. I noticed that the batter is loaded wlth butter. Anyway the cake is awesome. I still have two plum trees which are full of plums and I will definitely bake another one when the plums are ready with only half cup of butter. Thanks for sharing the recipe 😁👍
Susan says
Can you use frozen plums?
Julia Foerster says
I have never tried it, but I think if they are thawed and plotted with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, it should work fine!
Heidi Fischer says
Absolutely!!!
This is my family’s favorite.
Have made the yeast version for 50+ years.
The Italian prune plums have a very short season. I freeze enough for the whole year. [Figure 3 lbs per 1/2 sheet pan.]
Just wash, pit and pop in a freezer bag. Take out what you need and let semi thaw. Don’t need to plot. Use as you would the fresh.
Sharyn says
Can I used plums I canned from my garden rather than fresh plums?
Jenny says
I was a little worried about this too as plums aren’t in season where I am at the moment but it turned out great even with canned plums!
Donna says
Best plum cake ever.Have made it twice.I doubled it.Also have frozen it.
I cut it first into squares when it was cooled. put it into snap and lock containers
Then took out how many pieces I wanted.Let it thaw and ate them. will make again.
Sandra says
Delicious .. Made it with erythritol to reduce sugar. Also freezes very well.