German Plum Cake

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

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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This post was originally published in 2016.