German Plum Kuchen...

When you go shopping this time of year do you get enamoured by huge piles of fruit? Here is an example: I went to the fruit stand last week and there was the biggest pile of Italian plums you have even seen!... I swear they were waving at me...I had to buy a big bag, because I greedily had to get some before all the other shoppers......after eating more than a person should, I still had a bag of them....I remembered long ago my cousin made a German plum dumpling...it had dough around the plum and then it was boiled and then rolled in  sweetened bread crumbs, I think...I do remember that it was so good!!!! that was a long time ago in a far away land....  but I made Plum Kuchen....a German plum cake, a very easy coffee cake......

German Plum Kuchen
cake
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 tablespoon yogurt or sour cream
1 pinch salt (only if you use unsalted butter)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups plums, pitted and sliced into thin wedges

For the topping
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 In a large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar, vanilla, egg, lemon zest, sour cream and salt (if desired).
2 Mix the flour and baking powder and add that into the mixture.
3 Grease the base of a round baking pan and spread the dough over the pan.
4 Liberally spread plums over the dough.
5 To make topping, cream the butter, add flour, sugar and cinnamon.
6 Sprinkle over the plums and bake for 30-45 minutes in the middle rack at 375 F.

Follow the directions listed...I used a mixer for this, I am not sure that this wouldn't mix up just fine by hand...next time I would do it that way....it is thick like cookie dough....

using floured finger tips, the dough will spread out nicely...I used a 9 inch spring form pan...but any small square or round cake pan would work fine....

put your 2 cups of sliced plums on top and.....

make you topping....just butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon....

you can use a fork to mix this or use a pastry cutter....

sprinkle it all over the top and pop in the pre-heated oven for 35 minutes.....

Oh my...the house smells heavenly...the bottom layer is like a soft butter cookie, and then the plum is jam like, and the crisp topping so perfect, oh please make this!

It is guaranteed great!!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!