Plum Cake with Streusel (German)

The German plum Cake with Streusel is a popular German cake and if you can get Italian plums you should bake this cake. Even baking beginners will be successful. The cake is very easy to make, you just need vanilla sugar, vanilla pudding and baking powder from Dr. Oetker. In Germany we would use the so called "Zwetschgen" which are called "Italian plums" in the USA. Don't use the regular plums because they are too soft. Streusel in English means crumbles, so this cake is topped with a layer of sweet crumbles. Alternatively you also could use apples or peaches.

Base Cake:
all-purpose flour, unbleached (150 g)
1 pkg vanilla or cream pudding (Dr. Oetker) or cornstarch and pure vanilla extract
butter, soft (120 g)
sugar (60 g)
1 egg
1 point of a knife baking powder (Dr. Oetker)
1 shot dark rum (optional) or rum flavour
Italian plums (Zwetschgen) (½ kg)

Streusel:
all-purpose flour, unbleached (100 g)
butter (75 g)
sugar (50 g)
2 (0.6 oz) pkgs vanilla sugar, such as Dr. Oetker
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients for the dough, with the hands or hand mixer and kneading hooks, knead it until you get a smooth dough.

Form to a ball and wrap in foil, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Grease a spring form (10") with butter. Dust with all-purpose flour, unbleached generously.

Place the dough in the middle and from there press it gently so the bottom will be covered. Use some dough also around the rims.

Remove pits from the plums and depending on the size cut them in half or qters.

Place them on the dough.

Make the Streusel by mixing and kneading all ingredients melt butter slightly and spread them evenly over the plums.

Bake for 34-45 minutes on 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Serve with whipped cream.