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German Plum Cake with Streusel Topping without Yeast (Pflaumenkuchen)

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Looking for a traditional German plum cake or pflaumenkuchen recipe without yeast? This easy German plum crumble cake with streusel topping is easy to make and so delicious Jump to Recipe

German Plum Crumble Cake without yeast served sliced on a wooden board

A traditional German Plum Cake Recipe with Streusel Topping – all without yeast!

My German Plum Cake with streusel topping is a delicious coffee cake made with a simple batter that is quick and easy to whip up. Topped with fresh prune plums or Italian plums and a cookie-like crispy streusel topping, this traditional German cake recipe is truly dreamy!

While some German Pflaumenkuchen recipes are made with a less sweet yeasted dough, this German plum crumble cake is made without yeast and is so easy to whip up from scratch! This is a simple sheet cake recipe that makes 12 servings so perfect for a bake sale or when you need to feed a crowd.

German plum crumble cake with streusel topping served on a wooden chopping board

There are many different versions of plum cake in Germany! Some Pflaumenkuchen recipes are made using a yeasted dough, some, like this easy German Plum Cake recipe,  are baked in a springform.  This plum crumble cake recipe is baked on a sheet pan!  It’s a family favorite and very popular because it is easier and quicker to make than German Zwetschgenkuchen as it is made all without yeast. In Germany, this kind of easy coffee cake would be served in the afternoon for “Kaffee und Kuchen”, the cozy time between 3 and 5 when coffee and cake are served. 

This easy German Plum Cake with Streusel is not just an amazing afternoon treat but also tastes great for dessert or brunch. Serve it still slightly warm and top it with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream! 

How to make German Plum Crumble Cake: 

Make the streusel:

  • In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with cinnamon and salt until combined. Add flour and combine to make streusel. Chill the mix white you make the batter!

Prep:

  • Make sure you remove eggs and butter from the fridge in time for the butter to soften. The eggs should be at room temp. Wash and dry the plums and cut into quarters.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 365F. Line a 15×11-inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper. 
picture collage demonstrating how to mix batter for German plum crumble cake

Batter: 

  1. Cream butter and sugar with vanilla and salt for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy (pic 1). Now add the eggs, one after the other. Make sure to combine each egg fully into the batter before adding the next ( pic 2). Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl and whisk to distribute the baking powder well. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold into the batter with a spatula until just combined (pic 3). Don’t overmix. The batter will be quite thick

  2. Spread batter into the cake pan and top with the plums (pic 4&5). Remove streusel topping from the fridge and pinch streusel batter together, then top the cake (pic 6). Bake the plum cake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let it cool down a bit, then serve dusted with icing sugar.

picture collage demonstrating how to top batter with prune plums and streusel topping to make German plum cake

Do I need Italian Prune Plums for this recipe?

This cake tastes best with Italian prune plums! European-style prune plums are small, dense, and egg-shaped with blue or purple skin, and yellow flesh. Their pits separate easily from the flesh and they are perfect for baking. In Germany, they hit the markets at the end of August and I have seen them at smaller grocery stores in Canada and the US. However, any plum will work so don’t let the lack of Italian plums stop you. North American plums are juicier than prune plums so don’t go overboard with your topping or your cake will be too juicy. 

How do you pit a plum?

The pits of plums are very easy to remove. You can cut the plum open along the seam that runs from top to bottom. Then simply flip the plum open, remove the pit with your fingers, and cut the plum into quarters.

a piece of plum crumble cake without yeast

Storage and freezing instructions:

Store at room temperature for one day, or in the fridge in an airtight container. 

You can freeze the German plum crumble cake but the streusel topping might not be that crunchy anymore. To do so, let it cool down completely, then cut into pieces and carefully wrap them into cling film. When you’re ready to have a piece, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature.

After defrosting, you can bake the plum cake at 350 F for five to ten minutes. The plum cake can be stored in the freezer for up to six months. Note that once thawed, cakes should not be frozen again.

Traditional German Plum Crumble Cake with Streusel topping served sliced on a wooden board

Tips

  • For this recipe, we need Italian Prune Plums, also known as Empress plums, prune plums or “Zwetschgen” in German.
  • When shopping for Italian plums you should make sure that the fruits are ripe, firm, but not hard. 
  • If the plums give off a lot of juice when they are pitted, place them in a sieve to drain until the cake batter is ready.
  • German plum cake tastes best the day it is made and when it is still slightly lukewarm.
  • You can also bake this traditional German plum crumble cake recipe with other types of stone fruit. I recommend mirabelle plums, canned or fresh peaches, or apricots.  It works best with fruit that keeps its shape during baking.
  • I made this recipe in a 15×11-inch rectangular baking pan. 

More traditional German Cake recipes you will love: 

★ Did you make and love my German plum cake without yeast? Give it your review below! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!

German Plum Crumble Cake with Streusel Topping sliced into squares and dusted with icing sugar
5 from 1 vote
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German Plum Crumble Cake with Streusel Topping (Pflaumenkuchen)

Looking for a traditional German plum cake or pflaumenkuchen recipe without yeast? This easy German plum crumble cake with streusel topping is easy to make and so delicious

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine germany
Keyword German plum cake recipe, plum crumble cake, traditional German plum cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

Batter

  • 2 lbs Italian plums
  • 1 cup butter 250 g
  • 1 cup sugar 200 g
  • 1 tbsp vanilla essence
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups flour 360 g - please measure by weight if you can
  • 3 tsp baking powder

Streusel

  • 3/4 cups butter + 2 tbsps 200 g
  • 1 cup light brown sugar 200 g
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 g flour 340

Instructions

Streusel

  1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with cinnamon and salt until combined. Add flour and combine to make streusel. Chill the mix white you make the batter!

Batter

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 365F. Line a 15×11-inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper. Make sure you remove eggs and butter from the fridge in time for the butter to soften. The eggs should be at room temp. Wash and dry the plums and cut into quarters.

  2. Cream butter and sugar with vanilla and salt for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Now add the eggs, one after the other, combining each egg fully into the batter before addeing the next. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl and whisk to distribute the baking powder well. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold into the batter with a spatula until just combined. Don't overmix. The batter will be quite thick

  3. Spread batter into the cake pan and top woth the plums. Remove streusel topping from the fridge and pinch streusel batter together, then top the cake. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool down a bit, then serve dusted wit hicing sugar.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • When buying plums, try and get Italian ones!  Make sure that the fruits are ripe, firm, but not hard. 
  • If the plums already give off a lot of juice when you pit them, place them in a sieve to drain until the cake batter is prepared.
  • German plum cake tastes best when it is still a bit warm.
  • You can also bake this traditional German cake recipe with frozen plums. Or make it with mirabelle plums, cherries nectarines, cherries, peaches, red currants or apricots. 

 

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One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    These take me back! My granny made these and these taste just as delicious. I added some Lemon zest to the batter!

  2. 5 stars
    Hallo,
    gestern habe ich, nach diesem Rezept, einen wirklich sehr leckeren und saftigen, aber nicht zu saftig, Pflaumenkuchen gebacken. Die Streusel sind traumhaft lecker 😋 und es passt alles wunderbar zusammen. Auch ich habe so ein Backblech benutzt. Leider stimmt die Backzeit überhaupt nicht. Jedenfalls bin ich mit 40 Minuten absolut nicht hingekommen. Ich hatte ihn genau 1 Stunde im Ofen…..und mein Ofen ist gerade mal 2 Jahre alt.
    Liebe Grüße
    Viola

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