Vegan Zwetschgenkuchen: Very Fluffy Cake with Crunchy Streusel

For the streusel: in a small bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon. Add the cold vegetable butter cut into cubes. With your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until you get coarse crumbs. Keep in the refrigerator to maintain consistency.

Pré-aqueça o forno a 180°C (350°F). Grease a round pan of approximately 24 cm in diameter (or rectangular, 20x30 cm) with vegetable butter and lightly flour to prevent the cake from sticking.

Wash the plums, dry them well, cut them in half, and remove the pits. If the plums are very large, cut each half into two more slices. Set aside the prepared fruits.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake: wheat flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and vanilla sugar. Make sure they are well combined.

In another bowl, mix the liquid ingredients: plant-based milk, vegetable oil, and lemon zest. Stir until all liquids are well incorporated and homogeneous.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix gently with a whisk or spatula, just until the dough is homogeneous. Avoid overbeating to prevent developing gluten and making the cake dense.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula, creating a smooth base for the fruits.

Distribute the plum slices over the batter, pressing them down slightly. Organize them beautifully, as they will be the visual highlight of your cake.

Remove the streusel from the refrigerator and spread it over the plums, covering them generously and evenly.

Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The streusel should be golden and crunchy.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing for better results and presentation.