When Damson plums arrive at the farmer’s market or in the produce section of supermarkets, we are always very happy to see them! We love these purple fellas because they are very versatile when it comes to baking. This Damson Plum Streusel (Cheesecake) Cake is just one of many examples of what you can do with this type of plum. A really delicious and moist cake with a little twist! ;)
The »little twist« here doesn’t necessarily refer to the Damson plums, but rather to the (hidden) layers of cream cheese that run through the cake. Once in the bottom of the cake and then again on top, directly under the plums and the streusel topping. I think you can see it quite clearly in the photos where the cake has been cut…
Admittedly, the cake looks quite unremarkable before you cut into it. Just a typical coffee cake. You can’t see the individual layers yet. That makes the surprise all the greater. Assuming you didn’t bake the cake yourself – then hopefully you remember what you layered in the baking tin before everything went into the oven and camouflage mode was activated. ;P
At first glance, the list of ingredients and the preparation seem quite extensive – but the cake is really easy to prepare and quickly in the baking tin. Even for someone who works thoroughly and slowly, the cake should be ready to go to the oven in less than 30 minutes. After that, it takes a while for the cake to bake through and cool down… as usual. ;P
If you can’t get any Damson plums – whether there are none available in your area or the season is over (or hasn’t started yet), you can use regular plums instead, of course. Even though both types of plums are in season at around the same time here in Germany, regular plums always seem to be available earlier and for longer. Probably because they are flown in from warmer regions of the world, where the harvest starts earlier and lasts longer…
Thanks to the cheesecake layer and the plums, the cake is quite moist. You could also describe it as quite dense. Small, delicious, and filling. That’s how we would describe it here. ;P
The cake lasts for quite a while, but is best when fresh, of course. Add some whipped cream and you got a great dessert. If you want to bake the cake with other fruits, you can (of course) do so. Cherries work well here, as well as apricots or peaches.
When it comes to Damson plums, there’s one particular classic that you can’t ignore – it’s called Zwetschgendatschi. It’s a simple plum cake with streusel topping and an absolute favorite in our family – also quite easy to prepare thanks to the dough made with quark and oil instead of yeast.
If you like it a little more unusual, you should try our Semolina Cheesecake with Damson Plums. At first glance, the cake looks like a regular old cheesecake, but it’s not. We love the cake with the plum topping, but we also like to make it with other fruits on top – depending on what’s available in the kitchen. ;P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the Streusels:
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (45g) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1.4 oz. (40g) cold butter, in pieces
2.5 oz. (70g) walnuts, chopped
For the cheesecake filling:
10.6 oz. (300g) cream cheese
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the plums:
10.6 oz. (300g) Damson plums, in pieces
1 tbsp. brown sugar
For the cake batter:
1/2 cup (120g) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
2 medium eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon paste
1 1/2 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (120ml) milk
Für die Streusel:
50g brauner Zucker
45g Mehl (Type 550)
1/4 TL Zimt
40g Butter, kalt & in Stücken
70g Walnüsse, gehackt
Für die Käsekuchenfüllung:
300g Frischkäse
1 EL brauner Zucker
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
Für die Zwetschgen:
300g Zwetschgen, entsteint & in Stücken
1 EL brauner Zucker
Für den Kuchenteig:
120g weiche Butter
100g brauner Zucker
2 Eier (M)
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
1 TL Zitronenpaste
200g Mehl (Type 550)
1 1/2 TL Backpulver
1/4 TL Salz
120ml Milch
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Start with the streusels. Add the brown sugar, flour, and ground cinnamon to a bowl and mix to combine. Add the cold butter in pieces and work it with your fingers into the sugar and flour until you get different-sized streusels. Finally, add the chopped walnuts and mix to combine. Place in the fridge until needed.
2. For the cheesecake filling, mix cheesecake with brown sugar and vanilla extract – set aside until needed.
3. Wash and dry the Damson plums. Halve the plums, remove the stones, then quarter the halved plums. Add together with the brown sugar to a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a 20cm (8 inches) round baking tin* (with a loose bottom) with baking parchment and grease lightly. Set aside.
5. For the cake batter, add the soft butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one after another and mix well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and lemon paste and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix flour with baking powder and salt. Add together with the milk to the large bowl and fold in – do not overmix the batter.
6. Transfer about half of the batter to the prepared baking tin and spread evenly. Spoon about half of the cheesecake filling on top and spread into an even layer as well. Next, distribute half of the plum pieces and streusels evenly on top of the cheesecake filling. Repeat the layers with the remaining batter, cheesecake filling, plums, and streusels. Bake the cake for about 60-75 minutes – you want the streusels to have a nice color. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely in the baking tin.
1. Mit den Streuseln anfangen und dafür den braunen Zucker mit Mehl und Zimt in einer Schüssel vermischen. Die kalte Butter in kleinen Stücken dazugeben und alles mit den Fingern zu Streuseln verarbeiten. Die gehackten Walnüsse dazugeben und mit den Streuseln vermengen. Bis zur weiteren Verwendung in den Kühlschrank stellen.
2. Frischkäse, Zucker und Vanille Extrakt für die Käsekuchenfüllung verrühren – bis zur weiteren Verwendung zur Seite stellen.
3. Die Zwetschgen waschen und trocknen, dann halbieren, die Steine entfernen und die halbierten Zwetschgen dann vierteln. Zusammen mit dem braunen Zucker in einer Schüssel vermengen. Zur Seite stellen.
4. Den Ofen auf 190°C (375°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Eine runde Backform mit Hebeboden* (20cm) mit Backpapier auslegen und leicht einfetten. Zur Seite stellen.
5. Die weiche Butter und den Zucker für den Teig in einer großen Schüssel etwa 2-3 Minuten hell und luftig aufschlagen. Die Eier einzeln dazugeben und jeweils gut unterrühren. Vanille Extrakt und Zitronenpaste zugeben und unterrühren. In einer separaten Schüssel Mehl mit Backpulver und Salz vermischen. Zusammen mit der Milch in die große Schüssel geben und unterheben – den Teig nicht mehr zu stark bearbeiten.
6. Etwa die Hälfte des Teigs in die vorbereitete Backform füllen und gleichmäßig verteilen. Etwa die Hälfte der Käsekuchenfüllung darauf verteilen und anschließend die Hälfte der Zwetschgenstücke und Streusel darauf geben. Den Prozess mit den verbliebenen Zutaten wiederholen, um weitere Schichten zu bekommen. Den Kuchen für etwa 60-75 Minuten backen, bis die Streusel schön goldbraun sind. Aus dem Ofen holen und in der Form komplett abkühlen lassen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Damson Plum Streusel (Cheesecake) Cake
- Prep Time: 00:30
- Cook Time: 01:15
- Total Time: 02:00
- Yield: 1
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A delicious cake to finish summer and welcome fall. This Damson Plum Streusel (Cheesecake) Cake is our first pick when plum season starts! So good!
Ingredients
For the Streusels:
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (45g) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1.4 oz. (40g) cold butter, in pieces
2.5 oz. (70g) walnuts, chopped
For the cheesecake filling:
10.6 oz. (300g) cream cheese
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the plums:
10.6 oz. (300g) Damson plums, in pieces
1 tbsp. brown sugar
For the cake batter:
1/2 cup (120g) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
2 medium eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon paste
1 1/2 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (120ml) milk
Instructions
1. Start with the streusels. Add the brown sugar, flour, and ground cinnamon to a bowl and mix to combine. Add the cold butter in pieces and work it with your fingers into the sugar and flour until you get different-sized streusels. Finally, add the chopped walnuts and mix to combine. Place in the fridge until needed.
2. For the cheesecake filling, mix cheesecake with brown sugar and vanilla extract – set aside until needed.
3. Wash and dry the Damson plums. Halve the plums, remove the stones, then quarter the halved plums. Add together with the brown sugar to a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a 20cm (8 inches) round baking tin* (with a loose bottom) with baking parchment and grease lightly. Set aside.
5. For the cake batter, add the soft butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one after another and mix well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and lemon paste and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix flour with baking powder and salt. Add together with the milk to the large bowl and fold in – do not overmix the batter.
6. Transfer about half of the batter to the prepared baking tin and spread evenly. Spoon about half of the cheesecake filling on top and spread into an even layer as well. Next, distribute half of the plum pieces and streusels evenly on top of the cheesecake filling. Repeat the layers with the remaining batter, cheesecake filling, plums, and streusels. Bake the cake for about 60-75 minutes – you want the streusels to have a nice color. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely in the baking tin.
Notes
The kitchen is calling, time to bake!
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I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
