Old Fashioned Plum Cake Food

FRESH PLUM KUCHEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine flour and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Add lemon zest. Pour into a greased 10-in. springform pan. Arrange plums on top; gently press into batter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. , Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan; remove sides. Cool on a wire rack.

LATE SUMMER PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. (Alternatively, the cake may be made in a 9-inch cake pan or pie pan and served directly from the pan.)
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. (Note: the batter will be quite thick.)
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Arrange the plums on top, skin side up, in a circular pattern so that they mostly cover the batter. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the plums.
• Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until golden on top and set in the center.
• When the cake is hot out of the oven, run a knife around the edges of the pan and then remove the springform edge, leaving the base in place (if using a springform pan). Let the cake cool on a rack completely. Slice and serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
• Note: This cake keeps well, loosely covered at room temperature, for several days.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

OLD FASHIONED PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9" springform pan. Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla with electric mixer on high until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Alternately add about one-fourth of the flour mixture and one-third of the sour cream, beginning and ending with flour and beating thoroughly after each addition. After all has been added, scrape down sides of bowl and beat 1 minute longer.
• Pour batter into prepared springform pan; spread evenly with rubber spatula. Put pan on center rack in oven and bake for about 50 minutes until cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, make Crumb Topping: Put sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon ina small bowl. Toss lightly with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly and the butter is in fine pieces. Set aside.
• Wash plums; dry well. Cut fresh plums in half, remove pits and discard. If using canned plums, drain thoroughly, cut in half and remove pits. Remove cake from oven and sprinkle with crumb topping. Arrange plums on top and bake 10 minutes longer.
• Remove cake from oven and place on wire cake rack to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan, using a small knife or long metal spatula. Remove pan sides and brush plums with melted jam. Serve warm.

DELICIOUS BABY FOOD PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix all ingredients together in a mixer, beat well. (About 3 minutes).
• Pour in a well greased bunt or tube pan.
• Bake at 350 for 65 minutes or until a toopick comes out clean.
• Cool.
• Dust with Confectionary Sugar.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN PLUM CAKE (ZWETSCHGENKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Sift flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Crumble yeast into well and mix it with 1 tablespoon of sugar, milk and some flour. This first yeast-mixture should be still fluid. Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes.
• Add remaining sugar, melted butter, egg and a good pinch of salt and mix with yeast mixture and flour. Knead with floured hands until dough is peeling away from the side of the bowl and blistering. This step may take 10 minutes (or more). Use some additional flour, if dough is too sticky. At the end you should have a smooth dough.
• Cover and let rise in warm place for about 25 to 30 minutes or until dough has doubled.
• Meanwhile prepare the plums. Cut lengthwise and pit them. Cut the still connected plum halves once again lengthwise, but do not cut through. You should have a depitted plum which you can easily flatten.
• Grease backing tray. Dough is calculated for a baking tray of 11 3/4 x 15 inches.
• Remove yeast dough from bowl, knead once or twice and roll out on baking tray using a floured rolling pin. Along the sides of the baking tray form a border with yeast dough.
• Place plums on yeast dough in closely rows and press slightly into dough. Let rise again for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven (425 F, 220 C).
• Bake the plum cake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile mix sugar and ground cinnamon for topping.
• Remove plum cake from oven and sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Cut into 20 pieces and serve warm or cold with whipped cream.
• NOTE on Baker's yeast: If possible use fresh baker's yeast. But you can replace it by 1 1/2 packages dry yeast.
• NOTE on Damson Plums: a traditional German Plum Cake is made with the slightly tart and not too juicy Damson Plums. You can also use other plum varieties, but the plums shouldn't be over-ripped or too juicy. I have tried it with other plum varieties and have reduced amount of sugar in topping.
• NOTE on traditional German Plum Cake: in my opinion this cake has to be made with yeast dough. It takes more time to make than other doughs, but it is worthwhile. Don't be afraid of the juices. This cake has to be juicy!
• There are existing several names for this type of frutit cake in Germany: Zwetschgenkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen and in Bavaria Zwetschgendatschi. Zwetschgen is the German name for Damson plums.

VIENNESE PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well., Transfer to a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with plums. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over plums., For topping, in a small bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts if desired. Sprinkle over top., Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until topping is golden brown and plums are tender. Cool on a wire rack.