Desserts Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Plum Cake
A buttery German-style plum cake with fresh plum halves baked into a tender sour cream custard.
Contains common allergens
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Instructions
6 steps- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch springform or square baking pan.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- 3
Add 1 egg and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan to form a base.
- 4
Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the dough, then arrange the plum halves cut-side up in a single layer on top.
- 5
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 eggs, the sour cream, and the 1 cup of sugar until smooth, then pour this custard evenly over the plums.
- 6
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the custard is set and the crust is golden brown. Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
74/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving410
Calories
7 g
Protein
54 g
Carbs
20 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Plum cake with fresh stone fruit has roots in Central European baking traditions, particularly German Pflaumenkuchen and Hungarian szilvas gomboc variations, where late-summer plums are the seasonal highlight and baked directly into a pastry or cake base. The style became a fall baking fixture in many North American homes through German and Eastern European immigrant communities and was notably popularized in the United States by Marian Burros's New York Times plum torte recipe (1983), which ran annually for a decade by reader demand.
Listahan note
This version uses halved fresh plums pressed directly into a buttery batter, so the fruit caramelizes slightly in the heat and its tart juices soak into the crumb around each half, creating pockets of jammy intensity.
Technique cues
- The plums are placed cut-side down in the batter so their exposed flesh caramelizes against the batter during baking — flipping them cut-side up produces a juicier topping but a wetter, less structured cake.
- Sour cream in the batter adds tanginess that mirrors the natural acidity of the plums and produces a more tender crumb by interfering with gluten development; do not substitute plain yogurt without reducing the quantity slightly (it is thinner and adds more liquid).
- Sugar sprinkled over the plums before baking draws out moisture and creates a thin, caramelized sugar crust on top — do not skip it even if the batter is already sweet.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Halve and pit the plums while the oven preheats; the batter comes together quickly and should go straight into the oven once mixed.
- Make-ahead
- The cake is excellent the next day at room temperature when the plum juices have set into the crumb; bake the day before serving and store at room temperature wrapped.
- Leftover move
- Warm individual slices in a low oven (300 F, 8 minutes) and serve with creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream; or enjoy cold as a morning coffee cake.
- Cleanup rhythm
- The mixing bowl, a pastry cutter (or fingertips), and the springform or cake pan are the main items — cleanup is minimal for the quality of the result.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
8 fresh plums (halved and pitted)
primary flavor and moisture
Purpose: Halved plums provide the tart, jammy fruit flavor that defines this cake; their juice soaks into the batter around them as they bake, creating moist pockets throughout the crumb.
Handling: Halve along the natural seam and twist apart; pit with a small knife or spoon. No need to peel — the skin softens during baking and adds color.
Adaptation: Italian prune plums (smaller, oval) are the traditional choice and available in late summer; apricots, pluots, or halved cherries work in the same structure.
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (cold, cut into pieces)
fat and pastry base texture
Purpose: Cold butter cut into the flour creates a slightly sandy, short-pastry base that is more structured than a creamed-butter cake and holds the plums in place.
Handling: Keep cold until the moment it is incorporated; warm butter will produce a greasy, dense crust rather than a short, tender one.
Adaptation: Softened butter creamed into the sugar produces a lighter, more cake-like base if a different texture is preferred.
1/4 cup sour cream
tenderness and tang
Purpose: Sour cream's acidity tenderizes the gluten in the batter and adds a subtle tang that complements the tartness of the plums.
Handling: Use at room temperature for even incorporation into the batter.
Adaptation: Full-fat Greek yogurt works in equal measure; creme fraiche adds more richness and a slightly less tangy note.
1 cup granulated sugar (for the topping)
caramelized crust and balance
Purpose: Sugar sprinkled over the plums draws out fruit juice and caramelizes in the oven, creating a lightly crunchy top that balances the soft crumb below.
Handling: Scatter evenly over the arranged plums just before baking.
Adaptation: Turbinado or raw sugar creates a coarser, crunchier crust; cinnamon sugar (1/2 tsp cinnamon per 1 cup sugar) adds warmth.
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
textural crunch and nutty depth
Purpose: Walnuts in the batter add crunch that contrasts with the soft, juicy plum sections and the tender crumb around them.
Handling: Chop roughly and toast briefly in a dry pan before adding to the batter.
Adaptation: Almonds (sliced or chopped) pair especially well with plums; omit entirely for a nut-free cake.
Technique notes
- A springform pan makes unmolding this cake much easier without risking the plums sticking; if using a regular cake pan, line it thoroughly with parchment on the bottom and sides.
- Do not overwork the batter once the flour is added — the cold-butter technique produces a tender base only if gluten development is kept minimal.
- This cake freezes beautifully: cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature overnight and the plums remain jammy.
Ingredient swaps
- Dairy-free option
- Replace the sour cream with full-fat coconut cream (same quantity) and use vegan butter; the texture will be slightly denser but the plum flavor will still shine.
- Gluten-free direction
- Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 GF flour blend and add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if not already included; the cold-fat technique still produces a short, tender crumb.
- Stone fruit variation
- Replace plums with apricots, nectarines, or pitted cherries for a different stone-fruit version with the same method and structure.
Serve alongside
- lightly sweetened creme fraiche
- vanilla ice cream
- a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh mint leaves
- Earl Grey tea with milk
- late-harvest Riesling or a glass of plum wine
- strong black coffee
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store at room temperature wrapped loosely for up to 2 days; the plum juices continue to soak into the crumb and the cake improves.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for best texture.
- Freeze whole or in slices, well wrapped, for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature overnight.
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan or standard cake pan
- pastry cutter or fingertips for incorporating cold butter
- parchment paper for lining
- small sharp knife for pitting plums
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