Yogurt Plum Cake

A simple and moist cake, topped with plum halves and turbinado sugar for that crunchy sugar topping, this plum cake is quick and easy and perfect for breakfast or with an afternoon coffee. The best part is there’s no mixer needed for this cake and it’s extra delicious with a dollop of vanilla bean whipped cream.

What type of plums should you use for a cake?

Really any plums will work, ideally the riper the better. When I made this cake I had a combination of red and black plums which both worked beautifully but I will say I liked the color of the red ones after baking better.

How do you enhance plum flavor?

My favorite way to enhance plum flavor, other than adding lemon and almond, is by cooking them. Whether that means grilling, sautéing, or baking, cooking plums brings out their flavor beautifully making them the perfect addition to this cake. It really brings out their tartness as well as their sweet and juicy side.

Should you peel plums before baking?

It’s not necessary to peel plums before baking, in fact I don’t recommend it as it helps them keep their shape. However, if you have strong feelings about it, you can peel them first.

What are typical German cakes?

German cakes are often simple, not too sweet, and focus on seasonal flavors. So, in the summer this simple plum cake is a classic!

How do you keep the plums from sinking in a plum cake?

There’s a few tricks in this recipe that keep the plums from sinking. First, there is minimal baking soda and baking powder which prevents the cake from puffing up too much. Second, the skin side of the plums are dipped in flour. Last but not least, the cake should be refrigerated for 5-10 minutes before baking to help it firm up before going in the oven.

Tips for Plum Cake

• All ingredients need to be at least room temperature, this means warming up the sour cream/ yogurt, making sure the eggs have sat out long enough, and the butter should be VERY soft. Not quite melted but softer than what you would usually use for cookies.
• Your plums (or other stone fruit) should be ripe. This will make it easier to remove the pits but also make them nice and soft after baking.
• Don’t stress when the cake batter looks a lil scrambly after adding all the wet ingredients together. It’s completely normal and happens if every ingredient isn’t at exactly the same temperature. Once you add the dry ingredients it will all come together.
• This recipe has only been tested in a conventional oven so I don’t recommend baking it on a convection setting.

Additional Cake Recipes to try!

• Plum Cake
• Apricot Cheesecake
• Apricot Dumplings (Aprikosen knödel)

Ingredients

Plum Cake

• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for this cake, I use King Arthur all-purpose flour! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Whole Wheat Flour: I love the addition of whole wheat flour to this cake because it adds a little extra flavor and texture, but if you don’t have any you can substitute it with all purpose flour.
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These both help make the cake rise – make sure to check the expiration date! If they are expired, they won’t be very effective.
• Sugar: This German plum cake uses granulated sugar in the cake batter and then a bit more sprinkled on top to make that crunchy sugar topping.
• Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store, make sure they are at room temperature.
• Yogurt: Yogurt adds richness and moisture to the cake without making it too heavy. I recommend full fat plain greek yogurt. It needs to be warm or at room temperature.
• Butter: Butter adds moisture and richness to this cake.
• Lemon Zest: The zest of one lemon adds the perfect lemony touch to pair with the plums – be sure to wash the lemon before using the zest.
• Almond Extract: Almond extract can easily be overpowering but a 1/2 teaspoon in this cake is the perfect amount to enhance the flavor without overdoing it.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds flavor and enhances the sweetness.
• Salt: fine sea salt enhances all of the flavors in the cake.
• Plums: This cake uses fresh plums, the size will determine how many you need! If they’re big or you can’t get the pits out, you can always cut them into quarters and lay the slices on their sides across the top of the cake.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

• Heavy cream: heavy cream or heavy whipping cream will work, just make sure it’s gold.
• Vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste: this will give it that rich and warm vanilla taste as well as the beautiful flecks but you can always just use vanilla extract.
• Granulated sugar: just a little sugar brings the whipped cream together and enhances the vanilla flavor.

How to make German Plum Cake?

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven.

Vanilla Cake Batter

• In a medium bowl, pour in the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until it becomes fragrant and the sugar starts to clump. Then dd in the butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt and use a rubber spatula to stir together.
• Add in the eggs one at a time, using a whisk to incorporate them into them into the butter mixture.
• Then add in the yogurt and whisk once more.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then pour in both flours, baking soda, and baking powder. Swap back to a rubber spatula and stir to combine.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Line a 9″ springform pan with parchment paper or grease with a baking spray. If you don’t have a springform pan, a standard cake pan will work as well.

Assemble and Bake the Plum Cake

• Pour the vanilla batter into the lined pan. Use a rubber or offset spatula to level the cake across the top.
• Wash and cut the plums in half, then remove the stones. Add 30 grams of all purpose flour into a small bowl.
• Dip each half of an plum, skin side down into the flour, then place as close together as possible onto the cake. Be sure to cover the skin surface as much as possible but not the cut open side.
• Sprinkle the top of the cake and plums with three tablespoons vanilla or plain granulated sugar. Place the cake in the fridge for 5 minutes.
• Then bake the cake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Rotate the cake 180 degrees and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Try to insert the toothpick into the center without sticking it right through one of the plums.
• Once the cake is finished baking, let it cool for 10 minutes before running a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Release the spring form and remove the cake from the pan to cool for at least 20 more minutes.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

• In a large mixing bowl, pour in the heavy cream and granulated sugar followed by two teaspoons of vanilla extract.
• Scrape out the insides of a vanilla bean pod and add it into the bowl as well. Alternatively add a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or grind up a dried out vanilla bean.
• Use a whisk or an electric mixer to beat just until soft peaks form. If you over beat it but it hasn’t yet turned into butter, simply pour in some un-whipped cream and use a spoon or rubber spatula to fold it into the stiff cream.

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