Czech Plum Cake
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
Fresh, juicy plums lined up side by side on a thin layer of yeast dough, generously topped with buttery streusel? That is Czech plum cake, švestkový koláč, and a taste of late summer. My grandmother baked it, my mother baked it, and now I do too.
What is this Czech plum cake? It is a simple Czech sheet cake baked on a large rectangular pan. It starts with a thin layer of sweet, rich yeast dough pressed into the pan, topped edge to edge with quartered fresh plums and finished with a streusel topping, called posypka or drobenka in Czech. Unlike the round, individually filled Czech plum kolaches, this cake is baked as a single sheet and cut into squares, so every piece is loaded with juicy plums and buttery crumbs.
If you have made a yeast dough once before, nothing here will surprise you, and if you have not, I walk you through every step. Count on about 30 minutes of hands-on work, then let the dough rise for 1½ to 2 hours while you make the streusel. The cake itself bakes in about 30 minutes. I have tuned the amount of dough over many bakes so the base stays thin and the layer of juicy plums generous.
➜ My best tips for this recipe
- Arrange the plum quarters cut side up. The juice steams off in the oven instead of soaking down into the dough underneath.
- Quarter the plums instead of halving them. Smaller pieces settle flatter under the streusel and cut into clean squares once the cake cools.
"I lived on this as a boy when the plums were in season. We had two huge plum trees. Grandma made this and grandpa made slivovice." Bob
If plums are piling up faster than you can bake, my no-yeast plum coffee cake comes together in a fraction of the time. Or skip the cake altogether and make Czech plum dumplings, warm and generously dusted with sweet poppy seeds.
➜ Plum season and a Czech saying
Czech plums, švestky, are the small blue plums American readers know as Italian prune plums. Their season in the Czech Republic opens around the middle of August and runs to the turn of September and October, and for those few weeks they are everywhere: in gardens, at markets, and on baking sheets in kitchens across the country.
The season is so short that it left a mark on the language. In the old orchards, a grower who missed the right moment to pick, whether from laziness or bad weather, soon found the plums dropped, rotted, or were eaten by birds. He was left, quite literally, "po švestkách": his plums were gone, and the next chance was a year away. Czechs still say "a máš po švestkách," "and your plums are gone," for any missed opportunity. Consider yourself warned: wait too long to bake this cake, and you too will be po švestkách!
Czech pronunciation
Would you like to say švestkový koláč the way a Czech baker does? It sounds like SHVEST-koh-vee KOH-lahch, with the stress on the first syllable of each word. Click the clip below and hear it from me.
➜ Ingredients
✅ See the recipe below with step-by-step photos and many helpful tips. Scroll down for the full printable recipe in both US cups and metric measurements.
For the yeast dough:
- All-purpose flour, the standard cake flour in Czech kitchens, sold there as hladká mouka (UK readers: plain flour). It gives the dough its structure and soft crumb.
- Active dry yeast, the lift under all that fruit. Check the expiration date before you start, because tired yeast will not raise the dough.
- Milk, lukewarm, about 100°F (37°C), to wake the yeast, never hot.
- Granulated sugar, for a gently sweet dough. A little of it also feeds the yeast at the start.
- Unsalted butter, melted and cooled so it blends into the dough easily.
- Egg, one whole egg, binding the dough and keeping the crumb tender.
- Salt, a pinch to balance the sweetness.
For the topping:
- Italian plums (prune plums), the closest US match to Czech švestky: small, oval, blue-purple, and firm enough to hold their shape in the oven. Choose ripe but firm fruit, because overripe plums turn mushy and wet the dough. In US stores they appear from late August through September. For British and Irish readers, damsons work beautifully too.
- Ground poppy seed (optional), a very Czech touch. Plums and poppy seed (mák) are an old, proven pairing. Grind whole poppy seeds in a spice grinder in a few short pulses. Ground poppy seed is hard to find abroad, which is why I list it as optional.
- Granulated sugar, a light sprinkle over the fruit, only if your plums taste tart.
For the posypka streusel:
- All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and unsalted butter, rubbed together into buttery crumbs. New to streusel? My Czech drobenka streusel topping covers it in detail.
For the rum butter drizzle:
- Unsalted butter and rum, melted together and spooned over the hot baked cake. In the Czech Republic the classic is tuzemák, best known by the brand Božkov. Abroad, any spiced rum works.
Equipment
- A 10×15 inch (25×38 cm) rimmed jelly roll pan, the size this recipe is written for. The rim gives the dough's raised edge something to lean on, and a flat cookie sheet does not.
- A stand mixer with a dough hook, so the dough hook does the kneading for you. A wooden spoon or your hands manage it the traditional way.
➜ How to make Czech plum cake
STEP 1: Activate the yeast. Warm ¼ cup of the milk until lukewarm, about 100°F (37°C). A drop on your wrist should feel barely warm, never hot. Pour it into a bowl, stir in half a teaspoon of the sugar and the active dry yeast, and set it in a warm, draft-free spot for 10-15 minutes, until a foamy cap forms.
I bake with Red Star active dry yeast, brought to me all the way from the US by my friend Sandy. The package surprised me. It says you can activate the yeast in warm liquid first, or stir it straight into the dry ingredients with no activation at all. Both work, but I activate it anyway, because the foam doubles as proof the yeast is alive.
STEP 2: Mix the wet ingredients. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and take it off the heat. Pour in the rest of the milk, which cools the butter down, then whisk in the egg with a fork. The mixture should be lukewarm, not hot.
STEP 3: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, the remaining sugar, and the salt.
STEP 4: Bring the dough together. Push a well into the middle of the flour with a spoon. Pour in the butter mixture and the foamy yeast, then combine everything roughly with a fork.
STEP 5: Knead the dough. Pick whichever way suits you. Stand mixer with the dough hook: lowest speed for 1-2 minutes until the dough comes together, then medium-low for about 8 minutes.
The old Czech way: beat the dough in the bowl with a wooden spoon until it stops sticking to the spoon and small blisters show on the surface.
By hand: about 10 minutes on a floured board. In every case the finished dough is smooth, elastic, and only slightly sticky.
STEP 6: Let the dough rise. Shape the dough into a ball, put it in a bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Leave it in a warm, draft-free place for 1½ to 2 hours, until it doubles in size. Toward the end of the rise, knead the dough lightly for a moment and let it rise again. This short knead refreshes the yeast and supports the next rise. My warm spot of choice is a briefly warmed, switched-off oven.
See how to make dough rise in the oven.
STEP 7: Make the streusel. While the dough rises, rub the butter, flour, and sugar between your fingertips until moist crumbs form. Park the bowl in the refrigerator so the crumbs firm up and hold their shape in the oven.
STEP 8: Prepare the plums. Wash the plums and pat them dry. Cut each one in half, lift out the pit, and cut each half in two, so you end up with quarters.
STEP 9: Prepare the pan. Rub the pan lightly with butter and line it with parchment paper. The butter glues the paper to the pan, so it will not slide around while you press out the dough.
STEP 10: Spread the dough. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Turn the risen dough out onto the pan and press or roll it into a thin, even layer, shaping a slightly raised rim around the edge with the side of your palm.
STEP 11: Top the cake. Arrange the plum quarters cut side up, close together over the whole surface. If you are using the ground poppy seed, sprinkle it over the plums now. Taste one plum. If the fruit is on the tart side, sprinkle the surface with a little sugar. Finally, scatter the chilled streusel evenly over the top.
STEP 12: Bake. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges turn golden.
STEP 13: Drizzle with rum butter. While the cake bakes, melt the butter and stir in the rum. Spoon the mixture over the hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
This little-known trick of Czech bakers makes the cake moist, keeps it fresh longer, and adds a wonderful aroma. You will notice there is no egg wash for the edges in this recipe. My readers tell me not every Czech grandma used one and rather brushed the baked cake with melted butter.
STEP 14: Cool and cut. Let the cake cool in the pan, then cut it into squares of about 3 inches (7.5 cm).
➜ Variations
- Any summer fruit. This is a true summer cake, and Czechs bake it all season long with whatever the garden gives. Swap the plums for blueberries, raspberries, red currants, or apricots. For the general version with a full fruit guide, see my yeast cake with fruit and streusel.
- A layer of tvaroh filling. Spread a thin layer of farmer's cheese filling (tvarohová náplň) over the dough before you add the plums. The creamy, gently tangy layer is wonderful under tart fruit.
➜ Serving suggestions
While the cake is still warm, the plum layer stays soft and spoonable, so hand out dessert plates and small spoons. A fully cooled square firms up enough to eat straight from your hand, which is how these squares disappear at Czech garden tables, with coffee poured alongside. Dobrou chuť!
➜ How to store Czech plum cake
Cover the cooled cake with foil or a clean kitchen towel and keep it in a cool room for up to 3 days.
In the refrigerator, cut squares keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let a square come back to room temperature before eating, because the cold stiffens yeast dough.
The cake also freezes well. Pre-freeze the squares in a single layer so they do not stick together, then pack them into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, and a few minutes in a low oven (300°F) wakes the streusel back up.
➜ FAQ
Yes, both work out of season. Scatter frozen plums over the dough straight from the freezer, unthawed, so they do not release their juice too early. Drain canned plums very well before using. They are softer and juicier, so expect a moister fruit layer.
Yes, use plain melted butter. That is what many Czech grandmas did. Instead of rum, slivovice works too.
The usual cause is the yeast, the temperature, or both. Check that the yeast is not past its expiration date and keep every liquid lukewarm rather than hot. Then give the bowl a warm, draft-free spot, because an air-conditioned kitchen is often too cool for yeast.
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? Recipe
Czech Plum Cake
Ingredients
Yeast dough:
- 10 Tablespoons milk lukewarm, about 100°F/37°C
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted; partially cooled
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
For topping:
- 1 ¾ pounds Italian plums Fresh. Washed, pitted, quartered, and patted dry.
- 1 ½ Tablespoons ground poppy seeds optional
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar only if the plums taste tart
Posypka streusel:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Rum butter drizzle:
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ Tablespoons rum or slivovice
Instructions
- Pour ¼ cup of the milk, warmed to lukewarm (about 100°F), into a glass. Stir in ½ teaspoon of the sugar and the yeast. Rest in a warm spot 10-15 minutes, until foamy.
- Melt 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, take it off the heat, and pour in the remaining milk to cool it. Whisk in 1 egg. The mixture should be lukewarm, not hot.
- In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups all-purpose flour, the remaining sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Make a well, pour in the butter mixture and the foamy yeast, and combine roughly with a fork.
- Knead with the dough hook (lowest speed 1-2 minutes, then medium-low about 8 minutes), with a wooden spoon until the dough blisters and leaves the spoon, or by hand about 10 minutes. The dough is smooth, elastic, and only slightly sticky.
- Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1½ to 2 hours, until doubled. Toward the end of the rise, knead it lightly for a moment and let it rise again.
- Meanwhile, rub the streusel 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, and 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar into moist crumbs and chill them.
- Rub the pan lightly with butter and line it with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Press or roll the dough onto the pan into a thin, even layer with a slightly raised rim.
- Arrange the plum quarters cut side up, close together over the whole surface. Sprinkle with the ground poppy seed, if using, and with the sugar if the plums taste tart. Scatter the chilled streusel evenly on top.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges turn golden.
- Melt the drizzle 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, stir in 1 ½ Tablespoons rum, and spoon the mixture over the hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Let the cake cool in the pan, then cut it into 15 squares (3 rows by 5).
Notes
- Oven: temperatures are for a conventional (non-fan) oven; for convection, lower by 25°F.
- Pan: the amounts fit a 10×15 inch (25×38 cm) jelly roll pan. For a 32×40 cm sheet, set the servings to 20. For an 18×13 inch half sheet pan, use 1½ times the recipe.
- Frozen or canned plums: scatter frozen plums on straight from the freezer, unthawed. Drain canned plums very well.
- No rum? Use plain melted butter for the drizzle. Slivovice works too.
Nutrition
The post Czech Plum Cake appeared first on Cook Like Czechs.
