Plum Streusel Cake
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This easy German Plum Streusel Cake, aka Pflaumenstreuselkuchen, is perfect for a crowd or if you have a surplus of seasonal fruit. Tart plums on a buttery base, topped with a crunchy crumble – a delicious streusel sheet cake you make with fresh or canned plums.
Growing up in Germany, fruity sheet cakes were commonly enjoyed at family birthday parties, especially during late summer, early fall when there’s plenty of seasonal produce around.
This is an easy streusel cake recipe that works for a variety of other seasonal fruit including cherries, apples, pears, or apricots. It also stores well in the freezer for up to 3 months, making it a delicious way to preserve excess fruit!
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Plum Streusel Cake
This German plum streusel cake is made with a buttery base, fresh or canned plums, and a crunchy crumble topping. Perfect for a crowd!
Ingredients
Streusel Layer
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
Plum Layer
- 1 kg plums washed, pitted & quartered
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
Base Layer
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Place baking paper onto a half-sheet pan (13×18 inches or about 33x46cm) or grease it with extra butter.
- To make the streusel topping, combine softened butter, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-sized bowl by hand. Rub the ingredients between the fingers until 1/4 inch crumbles form. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and store it in the fridge.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 pinch salt
- To prepare the plums, wash, pit, and quarter them. In a medium bowl, mix the plums with the icing sugar. Set aside. If you're using canned plums, drain them thoroughly, check for any leftover stones, and quarter them. You can skip the powdered sugar.1 kg plums, 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- To make the base, cream the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl using stand mixer or handheld mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each additions, and stir in the vanilla at the end. Add the dry ingredients gradually, including the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 4 eggs, 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder
- To assemble the cake, pour the dough onto the baking sheet pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Add the plums one by one and top the cake with the streusel.
- Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes until the streusel is golden brown and slightly crunchy and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 15 minutes and add a light dusting of icing sugar. Cut it into squares and enjoy it warm with a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
Chill streusel: Start by preparing the streusel to give them some time to rest in the fridge. Cooler streusel create a firmer and crunchier crumble layer once baked.
Lump-free batter: Make sure your base layer batter doesn’t have any lumps to create a delicate and even cake layer.
Plums: Drain canned plums thoroughly to avoid the cake from becoming soggy.
Storage: This moist cake stores well in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 44mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 538IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.5mg
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Plums – fresh, destoned plums work best for the cake but you can also use canned plums. Just make sure you’re draining them thoroughly before adding them to the base layer.
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter for this cake but if you’re using salted, simply omit the additional salt in this recipe.
- Powdered sugar gives the cake batter a fine texture but you can substitute it with granulated sugar as well.
- Vanilla extract – You can alternatively use vanilla syrup or paste.