Heavenly Plum Kuchen

Yield
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Course
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Our Heavenly Plum Kuchen is a moist, fruity cake bursting with plum flavor. This recipe has been passed down through generations and is loved by kids and adults alike!

This recipe comes courtesy of Linda Ruth of Peterborough, New Hampshire, and was featured in our cookbook, The Old Farmer’s Almanac Reader’s Best Recipes.

Kuchen is the German word for “cake.” The German phrase “Kaffee und Kuchen” refers to a sort of afternoon coffee break when folks get together to share cake and good conversation.

“When I was a child, in mid-1960s, our minister’s wife shared this recipe with us. When everyone started getting computers, we transferred the recipe from index card to computer file, lost it, and then re-discovered it years later! Our whole family loved this creamy, fruity, crunchy dessert.”

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 pound fresh plums, halved and pitted
1 egg
1 cup light cream
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a bowl, cream together sugar and butter.
  3. In another bowl, sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Combine with butter mixture. Reserve ⅓ cup of mixture.
  4. Press the remaining batter evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of a 10-inch pie plate or 8x8-inch baking pan. Arrange plums, rounded side up, in a single layer on the batter. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 15 minutes.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and stir in cream. Pour over plums. Bake for 30 minutes more or until custard is set. Serve at room temperature.
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann