Description
A dense, fruit-laden cake featuring a crumbly, buttery shortbread base and a soft, tart-sweet plum topping. This traditional German dessert is easy to make with simple ingredients and improves in flavor as it sits.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 to 2 pounds (680g to 900g) firm but ripe plums
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan generously and line with parchment paper if desired.
- In a mixing bowl, combine room-temperature butter, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix by hand until combined and resembling wet sand.
- Add flour and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan using a fork or measuring cup.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes until it starts to turn golden around the edges. Remove from oven.
- While the crust bakes, wash plums, remove pits, and slice into thin wedges.
- In a large bowl, toss plum wedges with 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Let sit for a few minutes.
- Arrange plum wedges in a single layer on top of the partially baked crust, overlapping slightly. Pour any excess juice over the plums.
- Return to oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until plums are tender and bubbly, and crust edges are deep golden brown.
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour (preferably 2 hours) before cutting to allow filling to set.
Notes
Choose firm but ripe plums to prevent a soggy bottom. Do not skip the pre-baking of the crust. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing to ensure clean cuts. Can be stored at room temperature for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 16
- Sodium: 120
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: German plum cake, fall baking, shortbread crust, plum dessert, easy baking, seasonal fruit, traditional recipe