RECIPE: AngAK...regarding your Mom’s sweet yeast cakes…REC: Pflaumenkuchen (Plum Cake)

[ruthab]

I found this recipe on the web which sounds very similar to the “heffekuchen” (sweet yeast cake) that my mom makes, although I don’t believe she uses the lemon rind. She also omits the sugar and cinnamon that is put on at the end. Instead, she puts a layer of streusel on top of the plums before baking.

Mom used to buy cases of plums, when they were in season, and us kids would halve them and remove the pits. She would then freeze them to be used later to put on this “kuchen”. Mom also made this cake in batches and froze it to have on hand for unexpected company.

(The link has a photo of the cake.)

Also, I found a recipe for the “butterkuchen” topping…I’ll add it at the end of the recipe.

Pflaumenkuchen (Plum Cake)

from myhouseandgarden.com

“This old German recipe from my grandmother of a delicious cake, is ideal when plums are in season and plentiful. Ideal for freezing. Bake a large batch, cool, cut into portions and freeze.”

plums, washed, stones removed & halved

sugar & cinnamon to cover the plums before baking

1 lb plain flour, sifted (450g)

2 oz castor sugar (55g)

1½ oz fresh yeast (40g)

OR

2 (¼ oz) pkgs active dry yeast (or 2½ tsp)

8 fl oz milk (250 ml)

25 g unsalted butter

1 lemon, grated rind of (unwaxed or organic)

pinch salt

Oven temperature: 180°C (350°F Gas 4)

Baking time: 20 - 30 minutes

Heat the milk up to just warm.

Put the crumbled yeast with some sugar into half of the warm milk and stir, put aside in a warm place and let it rise.

Sift flour into a large mixing bowl adding the rest of the sugar, pinch of salt and the grated lemon rind.

Let the butter melt in the rest of the warm milk.

When yeast is ready add it with the other milk and butter to the flour and work in well.

Knead it for a few minutes on a board.

Put back into bowl, cover, place in a warm place and let it rise, for 40 - 50 minutes, until doubled in size.

Roll out thinly, place onto a large rectangular baking tray and let it rise again.

Cover generously with the plum halves, cut side up, onto the base, dust with sugar and cinnamon and bake at medium oven for 20 - 30 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream - delicious.

Butterkuchen Variation: (Omit the plum/sugar/cinnamon topping.) In a small bowl, combine ½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Mix together and sprinkle over the dough. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and syrupy.

http://www.myhouseandgarden.com/recipes/Pflaumenkuchen.htm

 

[angak]

Thanks Ruth! This sounds just like her kuchen. Sometimes she would put streusel on it, but mostly

just plain with the plums. I don't remember the lemon either. She would use the same dough for streusel kuchen and also the butter kuchen. The house smelled so wonderful when those were baking. And yes, she usually had some on hand in the freezer(if she could hide them from us) and she did the plums by the case thing too(wouldn't let us help that much in her kitchen) The butter/cinnamon/sugar topping is so simple and good and it's meant to melt and not be a streusel. Kind of like a rich buttery cinnamon toast flavor. She actually just put pats of butter over the cake and then sprinkled the cinnamon and sugar on top and pricked it all over and then baked. Like a sweet foccacia. thanks for the memories!

 

[marilynfl]

Now see...that name looks like a fake acrylic nail got caught in the keyboard.

 

[ruthab]

Still ROFL! & I'd probably laugh too hard to survive if I got to hear you try to pronounce it ;o)

 

[ruthab]

You're welcome. My mom did most of the work too, but there was always plenty of fruit/veggie ...

prep to go around, which we were quickly marshaled into doing, once she discovered we could use a paring knife!

 

[angak]

ROFL!! Where's Richard when we need him?