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Ingredients
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Cake batter
Fruit topping (traditional variation)
Finishing & optional
Method
Cake batter
- 1
Prepare and preheat
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9- or 10-inch springform pan or a rectangular 9x13-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter and lightly flour or line with parchment paper.
- 2
Cream butter and sugar
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- 3
Add eggs and vanilla
Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition until incorporated. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- 4
Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt until evenly combined.
- 5
Alternate flour and milk
With the mixer on low, add about one-third of the flour mixture to the butter-egg mixture, then half of the 1/2 cup milk. Repeat, ending with the remaining flour. Scrape down the bowl and mix just until the batter is smooth and no large streaks of flour remain (do not overmix). The batter should be thick but spreadable.
- 6
Transfer to pan
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan using a rubber spatula, smoothing the top so the fruit will sit evenly.
Fruit topping (traditional variation)
- 7
Prepare the fruit
Wash and dry the plums (or chosen fruit). Halve and pit the plums, then cut each half into 1–2 slices if large. If using apples, core, peel if desired, and slice thinly; toss apples with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning and add brightness.
- 8
Arrange fruit on batter
Starting at the outer edge, arrange the plum halves (cut side down or up depending on preference) in a single layer on top of the cake batter, slightly overlapping. For a 9–10-inch round, you may need two rows. Press the fruit gently into the batter so it adheres but does not sink completely.
- 9
Sprinkle with sugar
Evenly sprinkle 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over the arranged fruit (and the exposed batter). This helps create a glossy, slightly caramelized finish while baking.
Bake and finish
- 10
- 11
Cool
Remove the kuchen from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 20–30 minutes in the pan. This allows the juices from the fruit to set and makes slicing cleaner.
- 12
Unmold and dust
If you used a springform pan, release and remove the sides. If using a baking pan, run a small knife around the edges and transfer slices to a serving plate using a wide spatula. Dust the top lightly with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar just before serving.
- 13
Serve
Serve warm or at room temperature. Kuchen pairs well with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.