German Plum Coffee Cake with Almonds (Pflaumenkuchen)

Adapted from "Backen Spezial" magazine, which I translated from the German. This version is unusual in that it calls for sweet red plums, rather than the more typical prune plums. You may also use sweet purple plums, but make sure they are sweet ones, not the oval prune plums.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 kg  fresh sweet red plums, pitted,cut into quarters
• 400  g butter
• 300  g granulated sugar
• 4  eggs
• 600  g all-purpose flour
• 4  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  lemon, juice of
• 80  g  sliced almonds, toasted
•  powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions

1. Cream together the butter and the sugar until smooth.
2. Add eggs,one at a time,blending well after each addition.
3. Mix together the flour, baking powder,and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
4. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture in small batches, just enough to moisten all of the dry ingredients (do this with a whisk or wooden spoon, not with an electric mixer).
5. Add the lemon juice.
6. Grease a jelly roll pan (or large rimmed cookie sheet) and press batter into the pan, spreading evenly over entire surface.
7. Sprinkle the plums over the batter.
8. Bake in a preheated 175 C oven for 50 minutes or until tests done.
9. Sprinkle with toasted almonds slices and dust heavily with powdered sugar.
10. Cool and cut into squares to serve.