This recipe is my variation on my mother’s plum kuchen (cake) that she has been making for decades. We only made this recipe when plums were in season. Plums are in season right now and are perfect for preparing this delicious, light dessert.
PLUM STREUSEL CAKE
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ vanilla bean
1¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup plain yogurt
6 Large purple plums
Juice of ½ lemon
Streusel Topping
¾ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
Purchased ice cream or whipped cream for serving
Instructions:
1. Prepare Cake Pan
Butter and flour a 13 x 9 x 2 inch glass-baking dish.
2. Prepare Cake Batter
Cover vanilla bean with hot water for a few minutes to plump.
Beat butter until creamed, gradually add sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape inside of bean. Add vanilla bean scrapings to batter.
In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
Alternately, add flour mixture and yogurt to creamed butter. Stir in lemon juice. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Plum Cake Before Cooking
3. Prepare fruit and arrange on top of cake batter
Wash and pit plums. Cut in half and then into 4 quarters.
Arrange fruit on top of batter in neat rows.
4. Prepare and Add Streusel Topping
With fork or pastry cutter, combine flour, sugar and butter until crumbly.
5. Bake Streusel Cake
Bake in preheated 350o oven for 40-45 minutes until streusel topping is nicely browned and apples (or plums) are tender.
Baked Plum Streusel Cake