Cuisine: The Polish Palate
Course: Desserts, Baking
Diet: Vegetarian, High-Carb
Occasion: Dessert & Tea Time, Afternoon Snack, Comfort Food, Summer Harvest, Autumn Harvest, Breakfast, Brunch, Culinary Heritage

Drożdżówka ze Śliwkami (Traditional Polish Plum Yeast Cake)

A pillowy, soft yeast dough baked with tart late-summer plums and a generous layer of buttery crumble.
Prep time 25m
Temp 180°C (356°F)
Cook time 45m
Rest time 1h 45m
Total 2h 55m
Yield
12
Per serving:
360 kcal
59g Carbs
4g Protein
12g Fat
By Adam Dworak
Published: 12 October 2026

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Ingredients

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Kitchen Kit

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • 25x35cm Baking Tin
  • Whisk
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Tea Towel
  • Small Pan
  • Medium Bowl
  • Baking Parchment
  • Skewer
A pair of hands rubbing butter into flour to create sweet crumble topping in a ceramic bowl, alongside halved fresh plums and a bowl of active yeast starter on a rustic wooden table.

Method

  1. Gently warm the milk until tepid (around 37°C). Crumble the fresh yeast into a bowl, pour in a splash of the warm milk, add 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the flour. Mix to form a loose paste, cover with a tea towel, and leave in a warm spot for 15 minutes until it bubbles and froths.
  2. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, tip in the remaining 80g of sugar meant for the dough, and whisk until slightly pale and frothy. Melt 80g of the butter in a pan, set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Chuck 500g of the flour and the salt into the egg mixture. Pour in the active yeast sponge and the rest of the warm milk. Bring it together with a wooden spoon, then knead (by hand or machine) for 5 minutes.
  4. Gradually pour the cooled melted butter into the dough while continuously kneading. Keep working it for another 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Cover and rest for 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
  5. While the dough rises, prepare the kruszonka. In a separate bowl, chuck in the remaining 100g of flour, 50g of sugar, and 50g of fridge-cold, diced butter. Rub quickly with your fingertips until the mixture forms coarse, clumpy breadcrumbs. Set aside in the fridge.
  6. Halve the plums and remove the stones. Grease a 25x35cm baking tin or line it with parchment paper.
  7. Once the dough has risen, punch the air out and tip it into the lined tin. Use your fingers to gently stretch and press the dough evenly into the corners. Cover and rest for 30 minutes to puff up slightly. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  8. Arrange the plum halves snugly over the surface of the dough, skin-side down. Scatter the chilled kruszonka evenly over the top of the fruit.
  9. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin before slicing.
Chef's Note & Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate, as the cold will cause the crumb to stale and harden prematurely.
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A top-down view of a freshly baked Polish plum yeast cake in a parchment-lined baking tin, showing rows of jammy purple plum halves generously coated in buttery golden crumble.

The Taste of a Polish Late Summer

A proper Polish drożdżówka isn't a dense, heavy brick of dough, nor is it overly sweet. It is soft, pillowy, and heavily laden with tart seasonal fruit. The magic of this bake lies in the contrast between the tender, airy crumb, the jammy acidity of the roasted plums, and the rich, buttery crunch of the kruszonka (crumble) on top. It’s rustic, unfussy, and absolutely brilliant with a strong cup of tea.

CHEF'S SECRET: Keep an eye on your liquid temperatures. Your milk should be body temperature (around 37°C) — dip a finger in, and it should feel neither hot nor cold. Any hotter, and you will kill the yeast; any colder, and you’ll be waiting all day for the dough to rise.

❖

The Perfect Kruszonka

The crumble topping is non-negotiable. To get those beautiful, golden nuggets, you must use fridge-cold butter. Rub it into the flour and sugar briskly with your fingertips just until it resembles coarse, damp sand. Don't overwork it, or the butter will melt into a paste.

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