Zwetschgenkuchen {Italian Plum Cake} #dairyfree

It's fall ya'll - ha there, I said it!  Wanted to say this for a couple of days now.  Fall to me begins when the girls go back to school and apples, pears, plums have ripened.  We do have both an apple tree {Alena's}as well as a pear tree {Mia Rosie's} and I am currently working my way through all of the delicious fruit.  Our neighbors have an Italian plum tree and have shared the delicious fruit with us.  Yes,  Zwetschgen as I call them or Italian plums as they are better known here are my absolute favorite.  They remind me of my Opa's backyard in Tuttlingen where - in the warmer months - we would sit underneath the Zwetschgenbaum for afternoon Kaffee and Kuchen. Tante Rita baked the most amazing Kuchen; Träuble (red currant), Rhabarber  {rhubarb} and my all time favorite Zwetschenkuchen.  Such sweet treasured memories…but I cannot think of it too long as it makes me a little teary eyed.

In any case, back to plums - so a plum to me is a Zwetschge but not the plum usually sold in the market.  I was so thrilled when - a couple of years back - I finally found Zwetschgen at the market and learned that they are Italian plums…and yes, I jumped for joy when our neighbors asked me if I would like some of those tart little plums.  Oh, yes please….and yesterday I received my first batch of this season delivered by two smiling boys.  "Special delivery" they - the cutest 4 year old and 11 year old boys - called from the front door; "we heard you make cake with these". I then overheard the 11 year old to the 4 year old "oh yes, I am gonna get me some plum cake…"  So today is the day to make Zwetschenkuchen; to my big surprise I realized that this is missing from my blog…{yes how can that be} so here we go - it's so good.

Zwetschgenkuchen

• 1 stick Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
• 2/3 C Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 C plus 2 Tb Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1-1-1/2 lb. Italian Plums, pitted 
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 TB sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 C sliced almonds, or almond slivers

*** Preheat oven to 355 F ***

1. Cream margarine with sugar,
2. Add one egg at a time, then
3. Add vanilla and lemon juice,
4. Next combine flour with baking powder,
5. While continue to mix slowly add the flour
6. Prepare a springform and pour the dough into the form 
7. Arrange Italian plums on top of the dough; cut side  up  into the dough 
8. Mix sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the plums
9. Sprinkle almonds over the plums
10. Bake immediately for about 40 - 50 minutes.  The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean {baking time can differ depending on your oven}

Serve with whipped topping of your choice!  I hope you like the Zwetschenkuchen as much as I do :)