Austrian Plum Cake (Zwetschgenkuchen)

A light cake which serves as a simple base for a topping of juicy roasted plums: summertime baking, perfected.

Makes
8 servings
Cook Time
1 1/2 hours
Active time plus cooling
10 minutes active
Rating
7

This simple cake showcases tangy-sweet summertime plums. Both red and black varieties works beautifully. Just make sure to choose ripe, medium plums that still have a little firmness; soft, ultra-juicy fruits will make the center of the cake wet and soggy. Italian prune plums are great, too; use the same weight. But since they are small, cut them into halves instead of quarters. Ripe but firm pluots, a plum-apricot hybrid, are another excellent alternative. The flavor and texture of this cake are best the day of baking, but leftovers can be stored overnight in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tip

Don't forget to allow time for the butter to soften. Cold, firm butter won't blend well into the dry ingredients. And don’t underbake this cake; the plums let off a lot of juice that slows down the baking, especially at the center. When testing for doneness, make sure there are no moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick.

Ingredients

130
grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
107
grams (½ cup) white sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
¾
teaspoon baking powder
¼
teaspoon table salt
8
tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, room temperature
1
large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1 ½
teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼
pounds ripe but firm medium plums, quartered and pitted
Powdered sugar, to serve

Step 1

Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, then dust evenly with flour; tap out the excess.

Step 2

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, 107 grams (½ cup) of the sugar, the baking powder and salt on low until combined, about 5 seconds. With the mixer running, add the butter 1 piece at a time and continue mixing just until the mixture resembles moist sand, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Increase to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Step 3

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Arrange the plum quarters on top of the batter in 2 concentric circles, placing the pieces on their cut sides.

Step 4

Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted at the center comes out clean, 1 to 1¼ hours.

Step 5