It is plum season and we are celebrating with our Quick Plum Traybake made with the Thermomix®. No yeast, no proving time, but 1300 g of plums and buttery crumble topping across a whole baking tray. Here is how the quick traybake works: add 300 g butter, 325 g sugar, 500 g flour and 3 drops each of butter-vanilla and bitter almond flavouring with 1 egg, then blend for 20 sec / speed 4.5 until crumbly. Chill one third, add 1 egg and 2 tsp baking powder to the rest, knead for 1 min / kneading mode, press onto the tray, top with the halved plums, scatter over the crumble and bake for 45 minutes at 180°C top and bottom heat. The cake is on the table in just under an hour.
Plum crumble cake is something we make every year in late summer. This recipe comes from Augsburg and uses no yeast dough. The dough is processed directly in the Thermomix® into crumble, part of it stays as the topping and the rest is kneaded into a base with egg and baking powder. This saves the half hour proving time that a traditional yeast dough requires, while still giving a buttery, moist cake.
Quick Plum Traybake with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 8 ✓
- 1300 g plums (damson-type)
- 300 g butter
- 325 g sugar
- 500 g flour
- 3 drops butter-vanilla flavouring
- 3 drops bitter almond flavouring
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions 0 / 6
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1
Prepare the plums.
Wash and stone the plums.
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2
Make the crumble.
Add butter in pieces to the mixing bowl, then add sugar, flour, flavourings and 1 egg and blend for 20 sec / speed 4.5 until crumbly.
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3
Chill one third.
Remove one third of the mixing bowl contents and place in the fridge.
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4
Preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat).
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5
Knead the dough.
Add the second egg and baking powder to the mixing bowl and knead for 1 min / kneading mode.
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6
Top and bake.
Dust the dough with flour and roll it out onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Top with plums, scatter the crumble over the top and bake on the middle shelf for 45 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
Why this traybake without yeast is ready in half the time
The classic Bavarian plum traybake is baked with a yeast dough. Recipes from the Vorwerk community use 30 g of yeast and need 30 minutes of proving time, plus more rising during baking. This gives a light, bread-like base but takes time and patience.
We take the quick route with a shortcrust base built on crumble. The key trick: we blend the entire dough mixture into crumble first, then divide it. One third goes into the fridge as a topping, and into the remaining two thirds we knead 1 egg and 2 tsp baking powder. This way, both the base and the crumble share the same buttery foundation, the base rises slightly with the baking powder and still stays firm enough to support the 1300 g of fruit. Three advantages over yeast dough: no proving time, no activating at 37°C, and the dough will not fail if the yeast is old.
How the Thermomix® makes the crumble in 20 seconds
The crumble is the heart of the traybake and the point where the Thermomix® makes the biggest difference. By hand, you have to laboriously work cold butter into flour and sugar with your fingers until crumbs form. In the mixing bowl it takes 20 seconds at speed 4.5. We add the 300 g butter in pieces, together with 325 g sugar, 500 g flour, the flavourings and 1 egg. Important: do not blend longer than needed, otherwise the crumble will become a solid lump.
The two flavourings are not optional extras. Three drops of butter-vanilla flavouring give the typical sweet cake note, and 3 drops of bitter almond flavouring bring exactly the marzipan undertone that goes so well with plums. If you do not have bitter almond flavouring, you can flavour the dough with the zest of half an untreated lemon or 50 g ground almonds. The Thermomix® also makes the sugar slightly finer as it blends, which dissolves better in the dough than coarse granulated sugar.
1300 g of plums: ripe but firm, cut side up
The quantity sounds like a lot, but we need it across a whole tray. We wash the plums, halve them, stone them and score each half lengthways along the base without cutting all the way through. We then place them cut side up, packed tightly, on the dough. The scoring ensures that the juice distributes evenly during baking rather than pooling in one spot.
A common misconception: Zwetschge is not the same as a standard plum. True Zwetschgen are elongated, firmer and less juicy than round plums. That is exactly why they work so well in this traybake. They should be ripe and sweet but still firm enough not to turn to mush in the oven. Overripe or very soft fruit releases too much liquid and makes the base soggy. If you can only find soft plums, lay them briefly on kitchen paper to drain some juice, and add a few extra tablespoons of crumble on top.
The most common problems with plum traybake
The base goes soggy
This is the number one problem with any plum cake. The fruit releases juice during baking, which runs down into the dough. Our solution: scatter a thin layer of breadcrumbs or ground almonds over the base before the plums go on. Both absorb the moisture before it reaches the dough. The Thermomix® grinds the almonds in 10 seconds at speed 8, so no need to buy them ready-ground. Two to three tablespoons spread across the base is enough.
The crumble sticks together instead of staying crumbly
If the crumble is blended too long or the butter is too warm, you end up with a lump rather than crumbs. Our solution: use butter straight from the fridge and stop exactly at 20 seconds at speed 4.5. Break up the chilled third that goes on top with your fingers before scattering it, if it has clumped together in the fridge.
The base is still raw in the middle
A thick layer of fruit and an underbaked base often go together. Our solution: do not spread the dough too thick on the tray and bake for the full 45 minutes on the middle shelf. Only take it out when the crumble is golden brown and the plums have started to caramelise slightly at the edges. If in doubt, test with a skewer at the edge of the base.
Apple sauce, cinnamon or almonds: three variations that work
With apple sauce for extra moisture: For a particularly moist traybake, spread a thin layer of apple sauce over the dough before the plums go on. This adds extra moisture and a delicate fruit note without making the base soggy. The baking powder keeps the base stable regardless. If you use apple sauce, you can leave out the breadcrumbs.
With cinnamon crumble: Mix 1 tsp cinnamon into the crumble mixture. It adds a warming spice to the fruit and makes the traybake feel more autumnal. Works especially well if you serve the cake warm.
With flaked almonds or pearl sugar instead of crumble: If you prefer something less sweet, use all the dough as the base and top the plums without any crumble. Scatter flaked almonds or pearl sugar over the top before baking. This gives a crisp surface without the butter content of the crumble.
What we serve from the Thermomix® alongside the traybake
The traybake is best served warm with a dollop of freshly whipped double cream. A homemade advocaat works well drizzled over the cream. If you are looking for more tray bakes, our egg liqueur sheet cake is the next one to try.
For the rest of the cake spread we like an orange carrot cake, a no-bake strawberry cheesecake or our lava cake from the Varoma. If you want to use more plums, we have a second variation in our plum cake with the Thermomix®.
How long the plum traybake keeps
The plum traybake is best fresh, but it still tastes great on the second day. Overnight, the fruit soaks into the base and the flavours meld together. Covered at room temperature it keeps for 2 to 3 days. In the fridge the shortcrust base becomes a little firmer, so we prefer to cover it with a cloth at room temperature.
It freezes well: cut into portions, freeze individually and defrost as needed. Frozen, the traybake keeps for about 3 months. To reheat, 5 minutes at 160°C in the oven brings the crumble back to crisp. So you can enjoy a piece of late summer even in winter.
Frequently asked questions about the plum traybake with the Thermomix®
Can I use other fruit?
Yes. Apples, pears or cherries work with the same dough. With apples, extend the baking time by 5 minutes as they are firmer. Drain cherries well first and add an extra layer of crumble on top, as they are very juicy.
Can the traybake be made without crumble?
Yes, simply use all the dough as the base and top the plums without any crumble. Flaked almonds or pearl sugar as a topping are a crisp alternative. Then you do not need to remove a third and chill it.
Why plums and not regular plums?
Zwetschgen plums are elongated, firmer and release less juice than round plums. This keeps the base moist but not soggy. Round plums work in a pinch, but scatter breadcrumbs over the base first and use a little more crumble on top.
Which Thermomix® models work?
All of them. TM31, TM5, TM6 and TM7 process the crumble identically: 20 seconds at speed 4.5. The base is kneaded for 1 minute on kneading mode. There is no difference between models because no heat and no Varoma are involved.
How many portions does the tray give?
A whole baking tray gives around 16 pieces at roughly 372 calories each. That is enough for a larger group or works well portioned up and frozen.
Do I need to blind-bake the base?
Goes well with: vanilla sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Also worth trying: poppy seed cake with the Thermomix®.
No. The base, fruit and crumble all go into the oven together. The baking powder and the 45 minutes at 180°C ensure the base is fully cooked even under the fruit. If you want to be sure, scatter breadcrumbs or ground almonds over the base first.
