German Plum Cake • Pflaumenkuchen
Perfectly baked plums and a tasty streusel, this scrumptious German Plum Cake • Pflaumenkuchen is so delightful!
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup lukewarm milk (between 105ºF to 110ºF)
- 3 tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided plus more for work surface
- 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt
- 1 large free-range egg, room temperature
- 1/2 tbsp. lemon zest
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and room temperature
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 lbs. (about 16) Damson plums, washed, pits removed and sliced
- 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil, for hands and bowl tips & tricks
STREUSEL
- 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and room temperature
Directions
DOUGH/CAKE
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add active dry yeast, lukewarm milk and 1 tbsp. sugar. Give a quick stir and let the yeast proof for about 15 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, add flour, remaining 2 tbsp. sugar and salt; whisk until blended.
- When yeast is proofed, add egg and lemon zest. Using the paddle attachment, process on medium-high until mixed.
- Add dry ingredients, melted butter and pure vanilla extract. Switching the attachment for dough hook, process on speed 2 for 2 minutes.
- Increase to speed 3 and process until dough clings around the hook, add a tbsp. of remaining ¼ cup flour at a time.
- With oiled hands, take the dough and pull under to form a ball (it will be very sticky). Place in a lightly greased bowl and toss around to coat.
- Cover with a clean dish towel and transfer to a draft-free area such as the oven (with heat off). Let it rise for 1 to 1:30 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Meanwhile make the streusel.
- Remove the dough from its spot and drop it onto a lightly floured work surface (don’t punch the dough). Stretch it to create a rectangle of about 9 x 13.
- Place the dough in a cake pan that has been lined with a greased parchment paper with overhangs. Stretch it to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Lay plum slices tightly together in a single layer, lining them up in rows.
- Cover with a clean dish towel and transfer to its spot to proof for 30 minutes.
- Half an hour later, remove from its spot and preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Sprinkle on streusel evenly on top of plums, making sure to cover them all.
- Transfer the cake to the preheated oven and bake for 26 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Turn the heat to Low Broil and cook for 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the heat to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes before carefully lifting the cake from the pan, back to the wire rack.
STREUSEL
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt; stir well.
- Add the butter pieces and with clean hand or using a pastry cutter, work the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse sand, evenly crumbly. Transfer to the fridge until needed.