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Heavenly Plum Kuchen

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Category
Cakes and Frostings
Course
Desserts

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°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

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

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Comments

<span>Pat Dyer</span> Fri, 08/21/2026 - 08:43
Plum Kuchen should be made with Italian Prune Plums which are available seasonally in supermarkets. They are dark blue or dark purple, oval shaped, and are much smaller than regular plums. Also, you want the plums to be ripe but not real soft.
<span>Lori</span> Tue, 10/06/2020 - 21:48
Have you tried making this with frozen plums?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 10/07/2020 - 10:55

Hi, Lori. We have not made this recipe with frozen plums. If you want to give it a try, be sure to thoroughly defrost the plums and then give them a squeeze to extract any extra water. Good luck!

 <span>Lisa Reeke</span> Mon, 04/20/2020 - 17:41
I just made the Plum Kuchen. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing! I will definitely share too.