Plum Kuchen


Every Eastern European grandmother has a recipe for a kuchen....a simple homey cake, usually made with apples or plums, eaten with a cup of coffee.

My grandmother was born here in NY, but her mother was from Russia/Poland (when the countries shared territories), and this was her recipe, though she used margerine (everyone did back then, they thought it was healthy).

She always had cake and coffee, and I think I have become a modern day version of her.
There is always a cake on my counter, and I always have a piece with coffee.

This is a great way to use the season's beautiful plums, and I will definitely be making this with apples in a few weeks.

You can use a 9 x 13 baking dish, but if you have an 8 x 10, that's better, the cake will be fluffier.

Helpful Hint: The best way to pit plums is use an apple corer, trust me, it works!


This cake is so simple, you won't believe how good it is.


Plum Kuchen:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup almond flour or almond meal
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
4 ounces butter (one stick), melted
3/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
about 8 or 9 plums, pitted and halved
raw sugar for sprinkling

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add in the butter, milk and eggs. Beat by hand about 4 minutes, you want a nice fluffy batter (I rarely use my hand mixer, but feel free to take it out).

Pour batter into a well greased 8 x 10 pan.

Lay the plum halves on top, without pressing down, the fruit will sink anyway.


Sprinkle the top with raw sugar and bake in a 350F oven for 35-40 minutes.

Let cake completely cool before cutting into squares. I like to sprinkle powdered sugar on top.


This cake is even better the next day.

Comments

Anonymous said…

Hi Stacey!
This cake is so up my alley. Can't wait to try your grandmothers recipe.
It looks so good! Thanks for sharing.
Michele oxo

Valerie Suhanosky said…
Such a wonderful cake!Thank you for sharing....
Bebe said…
Oh, how I wish I still had the Satsuma plum tree that I had many years ago. The most luscious plums, red all the way through like those in the photos, and delectable. The tiniest bit of tartness that would have worked out so well in baking. I never did bake with them, but I ate what seemed to be tons… (big sigh)

Granny recipes are keepers, so am printing this one off… Thanks, Stacey...
Bebe said…
Stacey, when you make it with apples, how do you cut/position them on the cake?

Otherwise is recipe the same? I plan to use it a lot… We’re getting some really beautiful smallish yellow peaches with incredibly rich flavor…. thinking…..

Thanks...
Stacey Snacks said…
Bebe,

I would add slices of apples, since halved they would probably be too big to plunk down on top of the cake.

I will make it soon in the fall and post a pic of it!

Hope you are well.
xo Stacey
Anonymous said…
Hi Stacey,
Your cake is delicious , thx!
Will make it again here in Ca when the apples are ripe.
Your recipes are always good!

Best Wishes,
Linda
DawnieMS66 said…
Not a cake fan (don't hate me 😳) but going to make this as I've got delicious memories of my grandma's recipe who was from Kiev. She also made the most divine noodle kugel. Any chance you have a fabulous noodle kugel recipe?