Damson plum pies have a long tradition in our family. I’ve been helping to bake cakes like that since I was a little kid. Back then I could only help to place the damson plums on top…but I helped ;P Today, I love to make a delicious Damson Plum Cake aka. German Zwetschgendatschi like this one here from start to finish as soon as the plum season starts at the farmer’s markets in late summer. Zwetschgendatschi is a super simple yet extremely delicious cake that has a lot of fans in Germany! Could you say »no« to a slice of this cake with some whipped cream on top?! ;P
Since I’m baking on a regular basis, I’ve tried many recipes for plum cakes. This one here is one of my favorite recipes for many years already. The cake is really easy to prepare and quickly in and out of the oven. I don’t count in the time it takes for the dough to rise, because you can use it for other activities ;P While the dough is rising, you don’t really have anything to do tbh ;)
Zwetschgendatschi can be prepared in any shape and size. The one I made for the pictures has been baked in a rectangular baking tin. Obviously. But you can use the recipe to make different shapes and sizes. The recipe is good for a whole baking sheet or two cakes like this one here… or round cakes. Whatever you like. If opt for two baking tins, you could bake one Zwetschgendatschi as it is and one with a streusel topping, for example. Delicious butter streusels make a plum cake even better ;P
The yeast dough is very easy to prepare. I know that some people think that yeast dough can be a bit tricky sometimes… but not this one. Really. It never failed me ;P Well… and the topping could not be easier to do. Plums and a mix of jam, sugar, and cinnamon. That’s all it needs. I could do that blindfolded ;P
In the recipe, I already mention that you don’t necessarily need the plum jam that’s on the ingredients list. If you don’t have it at home or can’t find it in your supermarket just sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on top of the plums before the cake goes into the oven, and you will have pretty much the same effect at the end ;P
Here are some more plum cake recipes if you like. Just in case you have a whole basket with plums that need to be turned into cakes or something else ;P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(1 baking sheet or 2 tart tins)
For the dough:
3 1/8 cups (400g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
2.8 oz. (80g) butter, melted
2/3 cup (150ml) milk (lukewarm)
1 large egg
1 oz. (30g) fresh bakers yeast
1 pinch of salt
For the plum topping:
35-42 oz (1-1,2kg) damson plums
2 tbsp. plum jam
3 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
(1 Backblech oder 2 Tarteformen)
Für den Teig:
400g Mehl (Type 405)
150g Zucker
80g Butter, geschmolzen
150ml Milch
1 Ei (L)
30g frische Hefe
1 Prise Salz
Für den Belag:
1-1,2kg Zwetschgen
2 EL Zwetschgenmus
3 TL brauner Zucker
1/2 TL Zimt
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Sift the flour for the dough into a large bowl. Make a small well in the center of the flour and crumble the yeast into it. Add about a teaspoon of the sugar and mix with a little lukewarm milk to create a liquid pre-dough. Sprinkle some flour from the sides over the pre-dough, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 10 minutes.
2. Melt the butter and let it cool down a bit. Add the remaining lukewarm milk, sugar, melted butter, egg, and a pinch of salt to the bowl and knead until you get a nice and smooth dough that comes off easily from the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl once more and let the dough rise for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). While the dough is rising, wash, dry, pit, and quarter the damson plums. Line a baking sheet or two rectangular tart tins* (36x12cm) with baking parchment. Roll out the dough and place it on the tray or in the baking tins, forming a small border around the edges. Place the plums on top of the dough (make sure they are very close to each other) and bake for about 28-30 minutes. The cake should be baked properly, but you don’t want the edges to get not too dark.
4. While the cake is in the oven, mix the plum jam with sugar and cinnamon. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush the plums thinly with the mixture and let cool. The plum cake aka. Zwetschgendatschi is traditionally served with whipped cream.
Tip: If you can’t get hold of plum jam you can just mix the brown sugar with the ground cinnamon and sprinkle the plums with it before the cake is being baked.
1. Das Mehl für den Teig in eine Schüssel sieben. In die Mitte eine kleine Mulde drücken und die Hefe hineinbröckeln. Vom Zucker einen Teelöffel zur Hefe dazugeben und mit etwas lauwarmer Milch zu einem Vorteig verrühren. Etwas Mehl von den Rändern über den Vorteig stauben und dann abgedeckt an einem warmen Ort etwa 10 Minuten gehen lassen.
2. Butter schmelzen und etwas abkühlen lassen. Mehl und Vorteig mit der restlichen Milch, Zucker, der geschmolzenen Butter, dem Ei und einer Prise Salz zu einem glatten Teig verkneten. Abdecken und 30 Minuten gehen lassen.
3. Den Ofen auf 200°C (390°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Während der Teig aufgeht, die Zwetschgen waschen, trocknen, entkernen und vierteln. Ein Backblech oder zwei rechteckige Tarteformen* (36x12cm) mit Backpapier auslegen. Den Teig ausrollen und auf das Blech oder in die Formen legen und einen kleinen Rand formen. Den Teig dicht an dicht mit Zwetschgen belegen und dann für etwa 28-30 Minuten backen. Der Teig soll durchbacken, die Ränder sollten allerdings nicht zu dunkel werden.
4. Während der Kuchen im Ofen ist, das Pflaumenmus mit Zucker und Zimt verrühren. Sobald der Kuchen aus dem Ofen kommt, die Pflaumen dünn mit dem Pflaumenmus bestreichen und abkühlen lassen. Zwetschgendatschi wird traditionell mit etwas Schlagsahne serviert.
Tipp: Wer kein Pflaumenmus zur Hand hat, kann einfach den braunen Zucker mit dem Zimt vermischen und dann vor dem Backen über die Pflaumen streuen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Damson Plum Cake aka. German Zwetschgendatschi
- Prep Time: 00:30
- Cook Time: 00:30
- Total Time: 01:40
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Germany
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
German style plum cake called Zwetschgendatschi. A delicious cake from the south of Germany everybody loves. Best when served with a dollop of whipped cream ;)
Ingredients
For the dough:
3 1/8 cups (400g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
2.8 oz. (80g) butter, melted
2/3 cup (150ml) milk (lukewarm)
1 large egg
1 oz. (30g) fresh bakers yeast
1 pinch of salt
For the plum topping:
35–42 oz (1-1,2kg) damson plums
2 tbsp. plum jam
3 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
1. Sift the flour for the dough into a large bowl. Make a small well in the center of the flour and crumble the yeast into it. Add about a teaspoon of the sugar and mix with a little lukewarm milk to create a liquid pre-dough. Sprinkle some flour from the sides over the pre-dough, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 10 minutes.
2. Melt the butter and let it cool down a bit. Add the remaining lukewarm milk, sugar, melted butter, egg, and a pinch of salt to the bowl and knead until you get a nice and smooth dough that comes off easily from the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl once more and let the dough rise for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). While the dough is rising, wash, dry, pit, and quarter the damson plums. Line a baking sheet or two rectangular tart tins* (36x12cm) with baking parchment. Roll out the dough and place it on the tray or in the baking tins, forming a small border around the edges. Place the plums on top of the dough (make sure they are very close to each other) and bake for about 28-30 minutes. The cake should be baked properly, but you don’t want the edges to get not too dark.
4. While the cake is in the oven, mix the plum jam with sugar and cinnamon. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush the plums thinly with the mixture and let cool. The plum cake aka. Zwetschgendatschi is traditionally served with whipped cream.
Notes
If you can’t get hold of plum jam you can just mix the brown sugar with the ground cinnamon and sprinkle the plums with it before the cake is being baked.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
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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 ;) 
Hi Marc,
Der Teig ist gerade am gehen und ich bin schon ganz gespannt. Beim Backen ist mir aufgefallen, dass in der Zutatenliste ein Ei steht, welches aber nicht mehr in den Zubereitungsschritten auftaucht. Ist das richtig?
Viele Grüße
Hi. Ja das Ei gehört mit rein. Funktioniert aber bestimmt auch ohne ;)
LG Marc
Hey Marc, thank you for sharing.
Dein Rezept ist erste Klasse und schmeckt original wie in meiner Erinnerung! ☺️
Ich finde es auch super, daß es die englische Version gibt, um sie hier mit meinen Australischen Freunden teilen zu können…
Freut mich, wenn es geschmeckt hat! :)
LG Marc