What is it?

A German cake with plums on a vanilla pudding bed and streusel topping.

How is it called in German?

“Pflaumenkuchen”

“Pflaumen” is the German word for “plums”.

Click here...

to learn how to pronounce "Pflaumenkuchen"

Cultural Background Story
When it comes to cakes, German bakeries are number one! They also play a part in the country’s culture and many varieties have been made the same way for centuries.

Cakes are not only something people eat at a birthday party; many Germans hold onto the tradition of having a cake and coffee break every day around 3 or 4 pm.

There are two words for cakes in Germany: Kuchen and Torten.

A Kuchen is usually a cake without cream frosting but can have some sort of fruit or streusel topping, filling or glaze.

Torten are cakes with more than one layer, and in between the layers is some sort of filling. Torten also can have fruit, nuts, whipped cream, chocolate, etc. on top.

Pflaumenkuchen

German Plum Cake

While most Germans have an afternoon coffee during the week, the Kuchen or cake is often reserved for the weekends only, especially Sundays. You will find a lot of family gatherings like birthdays, holidays or even weddings will start with Kaffee and Kuchen.

When my husband and I hosted a BBQ party we started at 3.30 pm with a coffee and German cake buffet. Our American friends thought it was weird to have ‘dessert’ before dinner, but for Germans it is the normal way to do cake in the afternoon.

The German cuisine a traditional dessert is more something like creams, mousses, puddings and ice cream variations.

Step-by-Step Video

Recipe

Plum Cake Recipe

German Plum Cake with Streusel Topping & Pudding Filling

Angela Schofield
4.5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Cakes
Cuisine German
Servings 1 Cake

Ingredients
  

Dough

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tbsp. baking powder
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 9 tbsp. butter soft
  • 1 egg

Pudding Filling

  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3.4 oz. instant vanilla pudding
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream

Fruit Topping

  • 2 pounds plums or prunes
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp. Pectin optional
  • Powdered sugar for decorating optional

Instructions
 

Dough:

  • Add all ingredients for the dough to a medium sized bowl and mix on low until crumbles form.
  • Reserve 1/3 of the crumble for the topping.
  • Knead the rest of the crumble to a smooth dough.
  • Grease and flour a spring form, alternatively you can use All Tastes German homemade baking grease.
  • Place the dough into the springform and spread it out evenly.
  • Form a rim by pulling up the dough with flowered fingers.
  • Even out thin areas.
  • Cover and place into the fridge.

Pudding:

  • Add the instant pudding powder and the milk to a bowl and mix well.
  • Then whisk in the heavy cream.
  • Mix in the sour cream.
  • Cover and set aside.

Preparing Plums:

  • Wash and dry the plums.
  • Remove the pits and cut them into halves.
  • Cut each half into thirds or quarters depending on the size of the plum.

Cake Assembly & Baking

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
  • Spread the vanilla pudding on top of the dough.
  • Layer the plums on top.
  • Mix the pectin with the sugar and sprinkle it on top of the plums.
  • Spread the crumble evenly on top.
  • Bake in the pre-heated at 350°F for about 60 minutes or until the cake is done and the crumble is golden brown.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.
  • Place the cake onto a cake plate and sprinkle it with powdered sugar (optional).

Join us:

Our goal is to introduce this wonderful German tradition of coffee and cake in the United States.

Are you joining us? Try all of our amazing cake recipes and serve it with your favorite coffee variation in the afternoon.