Plum Kuchen

A delicious German-style yeasted cake featuring fresh plums baked in a buttery, yogurt-enriched dough. This traditional dessert combines sweet and tart flavors with a tender, bread-like texture.

8 servings

4 hr 30 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 package active dry yeast
•¼ cup warm water
•2⅛ cups all-purpose flour
•1 cup sugar
•½ teaspoon salt
•½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
•1 large egg
•1½ teaspoon lemon zest
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1¼ sticks unsalted butter
•¾ pound plums
•1 piece stand mixer with paddle attachment
•1 serving yogurt for serving
•sweetened

Cooking Instructions

1.
Stir together yeast and warm water in mixer bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)
5 min
2.
Add 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, salt, yogurt, egg, zest, and vanilla to yeast mixture and mix at medium-low speed 1 minute. Beat in 1 stick butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, until incorporated. Beat at medium speed until dough is smooth and shiny, about 5 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.) Scrape down side of bowl and sprinkle dough with remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
120 min
3.
Spread remaining 2 tablespoons butter in bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Cut each plum half into 5 or 6 slices and arrange in 1 layer pan.
10 min
4.
Stir dough until flour is incorporated, then spread evenly over plums. Loosely cover with buttered plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
90 min
5.
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
10 min
6.
Bake until kuchen is golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then invert and unmold onto a rack to cool completely.
35 min

Ingredients

•1 package active dry yeast

•¼ cup warm water

•2⅛ cups all-purpose flour

•1 cup sugar

•½ teaspoon salt

•½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt

•1 large egg

•1½ teaspoon lemon zest

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•1¼ sticks unsalted butter

•¾ pound plums

•1 piece stand mixer with paddle attachment

•1 serving yogurt for serving

•sweetened

Cooking Instructions

Stir together yeast and warm water in mixer bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)

5 min

Add 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, salt, yogurt, egg, zest, and vanilla to yeast mixture and mix at medium-low speed 1 minute. Beat in 1 stick butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, until incorporated. Beat at medium speed until dough is smooth and shiny, about 5 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.) Scrape down side of bowl and sprinkle dough with remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

120 min

Spread remaining 2 tablespoons butter in bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Cut each plum half into 5 or 6 slices and arrange in 1 layer pan.

10 min

Stir dough until flour is incorporated, then spread evenly over plums. Loosely cover with buttered plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

90 min

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

10 min

Bake until kuchen is golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then invert and unmold onto a rack to cool completely.

35 min