Yeast Cake with Crumble and Plums Recipe
Yeast cake with plums and crumble is a classic late-summer traybake from Polish homes, baked when ripe damson plums appear. It has a fluffy, buttery crumb, juicy, slightly tangy fruit and a thick, distinctly crunchy crumble topping. A simple starter sponge, thorough kneading and well-chilled crumble mean it turns out well even for less experienced bakers.
This kind of yeast traybake with plums and crumble is a late-summer staple in Polish villages and small towns – baked on a large sheet pan with a whole kilo of fruit, usually on Saturday before family visits.
This traybake combines classic yeast dough with a truly generous amount of plums, so every slice is juicy, not just faintly fruity., A thick, well-chilled crumble bakes into a distinctly crunchy crust, like on the best bakery yeast buns., The simple starter sponge and thorough kneading help the cake stay soft for a long time, even the next day.
Why this version works
- The starter sponge lets you check the yeast activity and gives the dough a better start for rising.
- Thorough kneading develops gluten, which makes the crumb springy and fluffy.
- Chilled crumble bakes into distinct clumps that stay crunchy for longer.
- A generous amount of plums makes every slice juicy, not just lightly fruity.
Chef's tips
If after the first rise the dough has barely moved, give it another 20–30 minutes instead of immediately cranking up the temperature – yeast sometimes just needs more time., When you stretch the dough in the pan and feel it springing back under your fingers, wait 5 minutes and finish later – the gluten will relax and the layer will be even., Don’t press the plums in too deeply, so the juice doesn’t collect right at the bottom.
How to serve
It’s at its best on the day of baking, slightly warm, with a mug of cocoa, milk or grain coffee – perfect for a late breakfast after coming back from the market., For gatherings, serve the cake with a spoonful of thick natural yogurt or sour cream to balance the sweetness of the crumble, and in autumn pair it with tea with honey and lemon.
Watch out for
- Dough that is too thin (too much milk or too little flour) will take a long time to bake and may turn out stodgy.
- Don’t shorten the rising time – poorly proofed dough will be dense after baking, even if it springs up a bit in the oven.
- Very juicy plums can be dusted with an extra tablespoon of semolina so their juice doesn’t soak the base.
Substitutions
- You can partly replace damson plums with mirabelles or apricots, slightly shortening the baking time.
- Up to 1/3 of the milk can be swapped for 30% cream to get an even more buttery crumb.
- Instead of cinnamon, use a mixed spice blend, especially if you bake the cake in late autumn.
Ingredients
- wheat flour - 500 g
- milk - 250 ml
- fresh yeast or instant yeast - 25 g
- sugar - 80 g
- butter - 80 g
- egg - 2 piece
- egg yolk - 1 piece
- salt - 0.5 teaspoons
- plums (preferably damsons) - 600 g
- sugar - 20 g
- cinnamon - 3 g
- wheat flour - 120 g
- sugar - 60 g
- butter - 80 g
Preparation
- Gently warm the milk so it is clearly warm but not hot – when you dip a finger in, it should feel comfortably warm, not scalding. Milk that is too hot will weaken the yeast and the dough will rise poorly.
- Crumble the yeast into a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 3 tablespoons of warm milk, and stir until dissolved. Add 1 tablespoon of flour, mix and set aside for 10–15 minutes, until the starter sponge is visibly foamy and has risen.
- Put 500 g of flour into a large bowl, add the remaining sugar and the salt and mix. Add the risen starter, the rest of the milk, the egg and egg yolk, and stir with a spoon until you have a sticky, uniform dough with no dry patches.
- Knead the dough by hand or with a dough hook for 7–10 minutes, until it becomes smooth, elastic and starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. Properly kneaded dough has a slight sheen and doesn’t tear immediately when stretched.
- Add the melted, cooled butter and knead for another 3–4 minutes, until it is fully absorbed. The finished dough will be soft, springy and only slightly sticky, but not runny.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm, draft-free place for about 60 minutes, until the dough has at least doubled in volume and looks puffy like a pillow, with visible bubbles on the surface.
- Meanwhile, prepare the plums: wash, dry, cut in half and remove the stones; cut very large halves into quarters. The fruit should be firm, not completely soft, so it doesn’t fall apart during baking.
- Make the crumble: put 120 g flour and 60 g sugar into a bowl, add the cold, diced butter. Rub with your fingers until you get distinct clumps like wet sand rather than one solid ball, then place in the fridge to chill.
- Line a 25×35 cm pan with baking paper. Transfer the risen dough to the pan, gently stretch it out and level the surface with hands lightly greased with oil; the layer should be of even thickness with no very thin spots.
- Arrange the plums cut-side up on the dough, pressing them in lightly but not all the way to the bottom. Sprinkle the fruit evenly with 20 g sugar and the cinnamon so each half is lightly coated.
- Take the crumble from the fridge and scatter it evenly over the plums, creating a thick layer with visible clumps. Cover the pan with a cloth and leave for 20–25 minutes, until the dough under the crumble has risen slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top–bottom heat). Put the pan in and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the crumble is golden and the edges of the cake are clearly browned and starting to pull away from the pan. After baking, set on a rack to cool slightly before cutting.
Storage
Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days – the crumb gradually dries out and the crumble softens., Refresh pieces in a 150°C oven for 5–7 minutes; the centre will become soft again and the top slightly crisp.
At the peak of plum season I bake two pans at once – one classic, and into the crumble of the second I throw a handful of chopped nuts, because those buttery crumbs soaked with plum juice disappear first.
