Crumb cakes (Streuselkuchen) are very popular in Germany. And when it comes to plum season the ultimate cake becomes plum crumb cake! Almost before the plum season to be over, I decided to make this delicious plum crumb cake with a cream cheese layer. I tasted this cake some years ago, while I was doing my Masters in Zurich. It was a lovely late summer afternoon at the lake of Zurich, where a fellow student of mine had just baked this amazing cake! I fell in love with the recipe! The sweet and juicy plums, the creamy cheese layer and the crunchy crumbs made the ultimate experience! I asked for the recipe right away and I adopted it. However, the original recipe at Chefkoch, which is a german recipe, uses the traditional german soft and creamy cheese Quark for the cream cheese layer. Since now I live in Greece and it is difficult to find Quark, I substituted it with cream cheese.

This recipe consists of 3 parts: the vanilla cake, the cream cheese layer along with the plums and the crumb. The ingredients are basic ingredients that you have in your kitchen (butter, flour, sugar, eggs, cream cheese, vanilla, salt, baking powder, corn starch, lemon and ground cinnamon) and of course fresh plums! The plums should be halved and pitted. Frozen plums can also be used in this recipe.

Start by melting the butter for the cake and the crumb and let it come to room temperature. Meanwhile preheat the oven at 170°C (340°F) fan forced and place a rack in the middle of the oven. Use a pinch of the melted butter and a pastry brush to butter a round 22cm (9 inch) pan (or tart pan) with loose bottom.

For the cake, mix well in a bowl the flour along with the baking powder and the salt and set it aside. In the bowl of you electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment beat the melted butter and the sugar in low-medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs one at time and beat well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and beat in low speed just until incorporated. Do not over beat, else you will end up with a stiff cake. Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula and incorporate gently any remaining flour with circular motions. Pour the cake batter into the buttered pan and spread it evenly using a spatula. You can tap and shake the pan to remove any air and help spreading and flattening the batter in the pan and set aside.

For the cream cheese, layer beat in the bowl of your electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment the cream cheese in low-medium speed until fluffy (about 30''). Add the sugar and beat in low-medium speed for more 30''. Do not over beat, else the cream cheese will become runny. Add the egg and beat well. Add the vanilla extract and the salt and beat just until incorporated. Add the lemon juice, the lemon zest, the corn starch and the salt (you can also mix the corn starch with the lemon juice and then add it into the cream cheese mixture) and beat in low speed until incorporated. The cream cheese mixture should become thicker while beating, however do not over beat it. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake batter and flatten it using a spatula.

Now it is time for the plums! Place the halved and pitted plums facing down evenly on top of the cream cheese mixture. I like to place them in concentric circles, but feel free to place them however you like, as soon as they are evenly placed. Set aside.

For the crumb, add in a big mixing bowl the flour along with the granulated sugar and the ground cinnamon. Whisk well to combine. Slowly pour the melted butter and use a fork to mix it gently with the dry ingredients. The mixture should have sandy texture and be crumby. With your hands sprinkle the crumb evenly over the plums.

Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 35' - 40'. Do not over bake else your cake will become dry. Once ready let cool on a wire rack before removing the sides of the pan. Serve at room temperature and store the cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Enjoy!