Plum Kuchen
📜 Collection: Unknown Eight | ✍️ Attribution: Unattributed | 📂 Category: Desserts A traditional German-style plum cake featuring a rich, buttery press-in shortcrust pastry topped with sweet Italian plums, cinnamon sugar, and dots of butter. Perfect for late summer baking when fresh plums are in abundance.
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Inactive / Chill Time | Yield / Servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 mins | 1 hour | 1 hour | 8 servings |
🔪 Key Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
Kuchen Dough
| Measurements | Ingredients | Prep / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup | Sugar | Granulated |
| 2 cups | Flour | All-purpose |
| 1/2 lb | Butter | Softened |
| 1 | Egg | Whole |
| 1/2 tsp | Vanilla Extract | Pure |
Topping
| Measurements | Ingredients | Prep / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| As needed | Plums | Italian plums, halved and pitted |
| To taste | Cinnamon | Ground |
| To taste | Sugar | For sprinkling |
| To taste | Butter | Dotted on top |
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
- Mix the 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, 1/2 lb butter, 1 egg, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract with your hands until well blended.
- Form the mixture into a cohesive ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour to chill.
Step 2: Assemble and Bake
- Spread the chilled dough onto a cookie sheet using your hands, pressing it out evenly and making a raised lip of dough along the outer edge.
- Fill the crust with halved Italian plums, arranging them tightly.
- Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar, then dot with small pieces of butter.
- Bake at 350°F for 1 hour until the dough is slightly darkened and golden brown, and the plums are tender and bubbling.
💡 Make-Ahead & Storage: The kuchen dough can be prepared, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month before assembling and baking.
Original Recipe Scan
