Plum Blitz Kuchen, or ‘lightning cake’ is a vintage German snacking cake recipe from the 1931 edition of Joy of Cooking. It’s a quick and easy, as the name suggests, and really delicious for breakfast, brunch, coffee break or anytime snacking. Customize it with almost any fruit you like.
plum blitz kuchen is a classic breakfast cake
This simple cinnamon coffeecake is brought up to speed with vibrant fresh plums. They dot the cake like little gems!
blitz kuchen was introduced to this country by German immigrants
We owe so many of our baking traditions to early German immigrants who brought with them their love of baking cookies, pastries, and cakes of all kinds. Generations ago lots of Germans settled in the American midwest, and these kinds of baked treats are still hugely popular there. The kuchen is the official state dessert of South Dakota!
simple snack cakes like this harken back to the Great Depression
I can remember my grandmother, who was a young housewife during the Depression, cooking this kind of quick cinnamon sugar cake when I was little…we loved it best when it was piping hot out of the oven when the cinnamon, sugar and butter topping that she scattered all over the top was still molten. This cake has that same simple, vintage feel to it that really appeals to me. I’ll bet during the depression this would have been quite a treat.
The batter is a breeze to whip up, it comes together quickly with electric beaters, or you could even use a whisk. It’s a nice thick batter so the fruit that I scatter on the top doesn’t sink straight to the bottom.
so many different types of fruit would work in this cake.
I chose gorgeous black plums that I picked up at my farmers market, but apricots, peaches, bananas, etc, would all work. Apples and pears would also be delicious, so keep them in mind for the fall season. Just don’t be tempted to over do it ~ too much juicy fruit will make the cake soggy.
this easy little plum breakfast cake is a delight
The perfect thing to rouse sleepy houseguests, or treat the family to on a weekend morning. It bakes up in a mere 25 minutes ~ just when you begin to smell the cinnamon-y aroma, it’s done.
also try ~
- Peaches and Cream Breakfast Cake
- Lemon Yogurt Breakfast Cake
- Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
- Caramelized Plum Upside Down Cake
Black Plum Blitzkuchen
Ingredients
topping mixture
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
cake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup, 1 stick, unsalted butter, at room temperature (the butter must be truly soft)
- 1 1/2 cup chopped plums, don’t peel
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Grease a 9×13 pan.
- Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the eggs, milk, and vanilla for 2 minutes, then beat in the softened butter.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan, and then top evenly with the cut plums. Sprinkle the sugar and nut topping evenly over everything.
- Bake for 20-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Check on the early side, you don’t want to over bake this cake.
Notes
Make it your own ~
- Make it with different nuts ~ try almonds or walnuts
- Make it with different fruit, as noted above, try other stone fruit, or apples or pears.
- Make it richer ~ dot the top with butter before baking. You can also use half and half instead of milk.
- Make it non-dairy ~ use almond or coconut milk.
- Make it with a mix ~ it occurred to me that this cake could easily be made with a cake mix as the base…talk about lightning fast!
I’m fascinated by Depression era recipes, are you? When circumstances are tough and times are lean, creative cooks come up with some amazing ideas. My Best Ever Vegan Chocolate Cake is made without butter or eggs, but it’s one of my favorite cakes, who knew? And what about Creamed Peas on Toast? Mashed Potato Cakes? Or Fried Cabbage with Bacon? All good stuff!
I’ve made this recipe a lot. Its always a big hit!
Glenda Jeter
Eugene, OR
Thanks Glenda 🙂
This is not the German pflaume kuchen, Germany doesn’t have pecans. And they rarely use cinnamon.
do you have a recipe for the cake you re referring to in this recipe? The one your grandmother would make with cinnamon and butter on top. Thanks.
Check this one out Susan ~ https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/super-easy-cinnamon-coffee-cake/
Wonder if berries would work for this, or would they be too juicy? I have a lot of blackberries!!
Blackberries would work great Pat, let us know how it goes!
As usual, I’m going to try to convert it to gluten free. If anyone has any luck with that, please let me know. There is a classic plum cake recipe that has been printed in the New York Times periodically. I believe it was either Florence Fabricant or Marian Burros and they called it the original plum torte. People begged the newspaper to print it every year. It’s not as cakey as yours, but I like cakey! You might want to look at it, just fyi.
I will look it up, thanks Alene. I love the NYT’s recipes. I think this might work with a gf baking mix like Bob’s Red Mill ~ if you try let us know 🙂
I grew up on kuchen and have never found one I didn’t love. This one is new to me and I can’t wait to try it!
My mom and grandma made them as well, but never with fruit ~ juicy plums take it over the top 🙂
It looks so yummy with those sweet juicy plums!
plums are EVERYTHING right now :
So lovely! Love baked plums and especially baked into pretty cake 🙂
Those pockets of plum deliciousness, that gorgeous sugary top, the wonderful texture – all reasons I need to make this ASAP!
I don’t think I could say that three times fast, but it looks absolutely delicious!