Plum Kuchen | Leite’s Culinaria

Butter an 8-inch (20-cm) square cake pan and line the bottom and sides with buttered parchment paper, allowing the parchment to hang over the sides of the pan.

Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until 110°F (43°C) or a shade warmer than body temperature. Do not let the milk even come close to boiling.

Put the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, yeast, and salt and mix with a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine. Make a well in the middle.

In a bowl or large measuring glass, combine the sour cream or buttermilk, whole egg, yolk, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Pour the warm milk into the mixer bowl, add the sour cream mixture and softened butter, and knead on medium speed for 4 to 6 minutes, until you have a smooth dough that’s almost sorta like a thick cake batter.

If you left the dough overnight in the fridge, bring it to room temperature before proceeding.

Mix the sugars, salt, cinnamon, and flour in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and stir well to combine—the mixture should start to form large clumps.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190°C).

Scatter 1/3 of the streusel over the cake. Arrange the plum slices on the streusel. Scatter the remaining streusel over the plums.

Place the pan containing the kuchen on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. The dough will probably have puffed to the top of the pan.

Reduce the heat to 350ºF (177°C) and continue to bake until the cake has risen even more, the streusel is golden and crisp, the fruit is tender, and a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes more.

Let the kuchen cool in the pan until warm or room temperature before slicing. It’s best eaten on the day of making but will reheat well if wrapped in foil and placed in a warm oven for a few minutes.