Austrian Plum Cake (Zwetschgenkuchen)
A light cake which serves as a simple base for a topping of juicy roasted plums: summertime baking, perfected.
- Makes8 servings
- Cook Time1 1/2 hours
- Active time plus cooling10 minutes active
- 9
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.
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.
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