A Visit to the Kondeiterei

I'm not sure why, maybe it was the longing to be on vacation in Europe, but while sitting around today, I got a hankering for pflaumenkuchen. "Pflaumenkuchen" translates to "plum cake" in German and is a popular offering at kondeitereis (bakery cafes) all over Germany and Swizerland (and maybe more). It's very popular to go there midday for a slice of cake and some tea or coffee. I remember the last time I had a slice, my husband and I were in Swizerland for our honeymoon. We stopped at this kondeiterei and, oh my goodness, the area of confectionaries were almost too much! Seas and seas of cakes - Black Forest cake, apple strudel, etc. all in a long glass display case. I was so excited to see pflaumenkuchen, which has always been my favorite cake when we have traveled to Germany in the past.

So take a mini vacation and try out this pflaumenkuchen. Brew some strong coffee, close your eyes and imagine yourself in a European street cafe. Guten Appetit!

This will be my last post for several weeks while I relocate to Atlanta. Wish me luck and I'll try to be back as soon as I can!

The display case at the kondeiterei in Lucerne, Switzerland

Pflaumenkuchen (g/f, d/f)

• ¼ c bean flour (I used chickpea but any bean will do)
• ¼ c rice flour
• ½ c equal parts arrowroot (or cornstarch), potato starch, and rice bran
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tbsp softened Earth Balance or other buttery spread
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp milk or water
• Several plums (enough to cover the cake; I used 5 or 6), halved and sliced thinly
• Cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle over plums
• Buttery-spread to dot tops of plums

Preheat oven to 425F.

Combine first 6 ingredients (bean flour to salt) along with buttery spread in a large mixing bowl until small pea-like lumps form. Beat in egg, vanilla, milk. Mix to form a fairly thick dough. Put into a greased square or round dish or pie plate. Top with sliced plums in a circular pattern densely covering the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Dot the top with bits of buttery spread and bake for 25 minutes.