Zwetschgenkuchen (German Plum Cake)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Medium

A tender yeast base is covered with halved plums set in tight rows, baked until the juices bubble and dusted with cinnamon sugar. It is not custard-based, which sets it apart from the Swiss wähe. Makes 15 squares in about 2 hr 35 min.

Prep 30 min

Cook 35 min

Cooling 1 hr 30 min

Total 2 hr 35 min

Yield 15 squares

Ingredients

Adjust yield

squares

3 ¼ cups (400 g)all-purpose flour
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
½ tsp (3 g)salt
¾ cup (200 ml)whole milk, lukewarm
¼ cup (60 g)unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 (50 g)egg
2 ¼ lb (1000 g)prune plums, pitted and quartered
⅓ cup (30 g)almond meal or fine breadcrumbs, for the base
2 ½ tbsp (30 g)granulated sugar, for the topping
1 ½ tsp (4 g)ground cinnamon

Fresh ingredient guides

Baking tools for this recipe

Convert to grams Scale it Change the pan

Instructions

Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add milk, butter and egg and knead 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rise 1 hour until doubled.
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Grease a 13x9-inch (33x23 cm) pan or a sheet pan. Press or roll the dough to fit with a slight rim.
Sprinkle the almond meal over the dough to catch the plum juices.
Arrange the plums skin side down in tight overlapping rows. Rest 15 minutes.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the dough is golden and the fruit is soft and bubbling.
Mix the 30 g sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the warm cake. Cool slightly and cut into squares.

Tips

Use ripe prune plums; larger plums release more juice.
Tight rows keep the cake from looking sparse after baking.
Serve with softly whipped cream.
Good with coffee with whipped cream.

Made this?

Log it to keep your bakes, ratings and notes together in My Kitchen.

Be the first to share one.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make zwetschgenkuchen (german plum cake)?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 15 squares.

How should I store zwetschgenkuchen (german plum cake)?

Best the day it is made. Cover and keep at cool room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days.

Can I make zwetschgenkuchen (german plum cake) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Serve it with coffee with whipped cream.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 15 servings this recipe makes.

333 Calories / serving

5.6g Fat

69.7g Carbs

5.7g Protein

31.6g Sugar

Whole recipe (15 servings): ~4995 cal · 84g fat · 1046g carbs · 86g protein · 474g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.