Plumcake, we always called it wrong! Here’s why

Have you ever wondered why plumcake, literally translated, means “plum cake”, yet there is never a trace of this fruit inside? The answer is rooted in a fascinating history that spans centuries and borders.

German origins

In the beginning there was Pflaumenkuchen, a real plum cake. This rectangular-shaped dessert was born from the union of shortcrust pastry and pieces of fresh plum. Germany was its cradle, from which it progressively spread towards Anglo-Saxon countries.

There is a rather bizarre theory according to which plumcake was originally a savory dish: meat cooked in wine, enriched with plums and spices. Only during the Victorian era would it undergo its transformation into dessert.

The poundcake

The dessert we now call plumcake in England bears a completely different name: poundcake. The term “pound” reveals the secret of its original recipe. Each ingredient was measured in the same quantity: one pound of flour, one of eggs, one of butter, one of sugar and one of fruit. This system made memorizing doses incredibly simple.

So how did we get from poundcake to plumcake? The answer lies in the evolution of the ingredients. The fruit initially used was dried plum. Over time this was replaced by raisins and candied fruit, but the name linked to plums survived the transformation of the recipe.

The French version

France also welcomed this English dessert, baptizing it “gâteau Quatre-Quarts” (four-quarter cake). The ingredients remained identical to those of the poundcake, with one exception: no candied fruit or dried fruit.

Modern evolution

Time brought substantial changes to the original recipe. The sugar was reduced because it excessively caramelized the crust. Butter suffered the same fate, as it burdened digestion too much. The eggs, however, increased in number to give greater softness to the dough.

New versions were born designed to satisfy different palates and different digestive needs. The goal was to create a more delicious, lighter dessert suitable for all ages.

Plum cake today

Today we can enjoy infinite variations of this dessert: the yoghurt version, the chocolate variegated one, the coffee version, the options filled with creams of all kinds. There is even a savory variant, which has earned a place of honor on our tables.