A German plum cake of dark Italian prune-plums arranged on a yeasted or shortcrust base, baked to a glossy purple, often served with whipped cream in late summer.
Wait for the right plum
The Zwetschge (Italian prune-plum, Prunus domestica subsp. italica) ripens in late August through September — and that’s the whole season for this cake. Unlike round dessert plums, Zwetschgen are oval, dark blue-purple with a dusty bloom, and have firm flesh that doesn’t collapse during baking. They also separate cleanly from the pit (freestone), which matters when arranging dozens of halved plums in tight rows on a sheet pan.
Yeasted vs. shortcrust
Two doctrinal camps divide Bavarian and Swabian bakers:
- Hefeteig (yeasted dough) — bread-like, slightly chewy. Common in Bavaria.
- Mürbeteig (shortcrust) — buttery, crumbly. More common in Switzerland and parts of Austria.
Both are baked in a rectangular sheet pan until the plums collapse slightly and exude purple syrup that glazes the surface. Served warm or at room temperature, often dusted with cinnamon sugar and topped with a dollop of whipped cream (Schlagsahne).
Find more foods by letter
Zwetschgenkuchen starts with Z and ends with N. Browse other foods along the same letter.
Foods that contain a letter from "Zwetschgenkuchen":