August is coming to an end and September is just days away – this is a perfect dessert for a summer weekend. It’s a tender cake, with a fragrant note of vanilla, that rises up and surrounds dark, sweet purple plums, and gently baking them along with the cake. It’s an old German recipe, one that celebrates the fruit of the late summer days.
My Grandmother’s family were of German descent and my daughter, Emily loves plums, so this dessert is a nod to each of them. It’s quick and easy to pull together and delivers a gorgeous blend of a Southern cobbler and a light vanilla cake with a tender crumb. Begin by creaming butter with sugar and eggs plus that splash of pure vanilla to create the perfect backdrop for those dark sweet plums. Gently blend in the flour with baking powder for a light lift, with milk for a tender bite.
Nestle the fruit on top of the batter and as it bakes it will partially wrap the plums, leaving their wine colored tops exposed and accented by the golden hue of the cake.
Give it a good dusting of powdered sugar, serve it up with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, and enjoy as we begin to wrap up the last of the lazy days of summer.
Plum Cake (Pflaumenkuchen)
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour, measured after sifting
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk
7 to 8 ripe plums, cut in half and seeded
Powdered sugar for dusting
Sweetened whipped cream for serving
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Cream the butter on medium speed then slowly add the sugar, about ¼ of a cup at a time. Beat until the butter and sugar are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs on medium speed, one at a time, beating well into the butter and sugar then blend in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour and the baking powder. Mix it into the batter, about ½ cup at a time, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
Spread the batter into a large baking dish, (approximately 13”x9”x2”) that has been sprayed with a cooking spray. Nestle the plum halves into the batter.
Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and tests done. While the cake is still warm, dust it with powdered sugar.
Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Plum Cake (Pflaumenkuchen)
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Large baking dish, 13"x9"x 2" or large oval
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 extra-large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour, measured after sifting*
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup milk
- 7 to 8 ripe plums, cut in half and seeded
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Sweetened whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.
- Cream the butter on medium speed then slowly add the sugar, about ¼ of a cup at a time. Beat until the butter and sugar are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs on medium speed, one at a time, beating well into the butter and sugar then blend in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl sift together the flour and the baking powder.
- Mix it into the batter, about ½ cup at a time, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
- Spread the batter into a large baking dish, (13”x9”x2”) that has been sprayed with a cooking spray. Nestle the plum halves into the batter.
- Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and tests done.
- While the cake is still warm, dust it with powdered sugar.
- Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
