Vegan Russian Plum Cake (Plucked Style)

Hello dear friends!

Today’s recipe is a vegan version of the classic Russian plucked cake. It skips eggs, butter and dairy but still delivers the familiar contrast of a crisp chocolate-vanilla crust and a creamy filling. If you want a plant-based alternative that doesn’t compromise on texture or taste, this recipe is for you.

Taste and Occasion

The vegan Russian plucked cake is a delicious choice for coffee breaks, family gatherings or any occasion where a comforting cake is welcome. Though the traditional version relies heavily on eggs, butter and curd, this plant-based variant recreates the same pleasing balance: a crumbly, slightly crisp base, a smooth vanilla cheesecake-like layer and chocolatey pastry on top. It’s a great option if you need or prefer to avoid animal ingredients.

Ingredients

The ingredients are simple and readily available in most supermarkets. The key swaps for veganizing the plucked cake are using vegan margarine instead of butter and a plant-based yogurt or vegan curd instead of dairy curd. The fat must be very cold to achieve the right crumbly texture in the dough, since margarine is softer than butter. If the dough becomes too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of cold plant milk.

For the creamy layer I recommend vanilla soy yogurt (or a vegan curd alternative). Many vegan recipes use silken tofu, but soy yogurt gives a familiar creamy tang and blends smoothly. To help the filling set without eggs, use vanilla pudding powder or cornstarch as a binder — pudding powder adds extra vanilla flavor, while cornstarch works just as well.

How to make the Vegan Russian Plucked Cake

Ready to bake? Follow these steps for a reliable result.

Start with the dough: combine the dry ingredients, then add very cold margarine in pieces and work quickly until the mixture comes together. If needed, add 2–3 tablespoons of very cold soy milk. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic and chill for at least one hour so the fat firms up.

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Remove about three-quarters of the chilled dough and reserve the rest for the top. Roll or press the larger portion into a round (working between plastic wrap helps because the dough can be sticky). Line a springform pan with the dough and press up a small rim. Prick the base several times with a fork.

Make the cream by whisking the custard/pudding powder into the vanilla soy yogurt until smooth. Stir in the melted margarine, sugar and vanilla. Spread this mixture over the prepared base. Crumble or press the reserved dough on top to create the characteristic “plucked” surface.

Bake for about 55 minutes. After roughly 40 minutes, cover the cake with foil to prevent the top from over-browning. The filling should no longer be liquid but may still be slightly soft — it will firm up while cooling. Cool the cake completely and then chill it for at least one hour before slicing to ensure clean pieces.

Top Tip

If you don’t have vanilla pudding powder, plain cornstarch (about 80 grams) works well as an alternative binder for the filling.

Recipe Card

Vegan Russian Plucked Cake

A tasty plant-based take on the classic Russian plucked cake—without eggs, butter, curd or cream.

Prep Time
25 minutes

Baking Time
55 minutes

Cooling Time
1 hour

Calories: 410kcal

Equipment

Springform Pan (10 in/26 cm)

Ingredients

For the dough

300 grams all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
200 grams margarine, very cold, in pieces
70 grams sugar
70 grams cane sugar, or regular sugar
4 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 pinches salt
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 tablespoons soy milk, very cold

For the cream

750 grams vanilla soy yogurt, or vegan curd alternative
2 packets vanilla pudding powder, or 80 g cornstarch
90 grams sugar
125 grams margarine, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla paste

Instructions

Mix all dry ingredients for the dough. Add very cold margarine in pieces and work quickly. If the dough is too dry, add 2–3 tablespoons of very cold soy milk.
Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Remove three-quarters of the dough and reserve the rest for the top. Flatten the larger portion (between plastic wrap if sticky), line the pan and press up a small rim. Prick the base with a fork.
For the cream, mix custard/pudding powder into the yogurt until smooth. Stir in sugar, melted margarine and vanilla. Spread the cream on the base and cover with the reserved dough pieces.
Bake about 55 minutes, covering after 40 minutes. The filling should no longer be runny but can be slightly soft; it will set as it cools. Chill thoroughly before slicing.

Notes

If you use unsweetened yogurt, increase the sugar and vanilla to taste.
Cooling the cake properly after baking is essential for clean slices and the right texture.

Ingredient substitutions

Swap in cornstarch for pudding powder if needed; use your preferred plant-based yogurt or vegan curd alternative.

Variations

There are several tasty variations to try. Add canned or fresh cherries for a fruity version, or use a thick skyr-style soy yogurt for a firmer, tangier filling. You can also adapt the sweetness and vanilla intensity to suit your taste.

I often bake other vegan treats like chocolate chip cookies, waffles or streusel coffee cake — this plucked cake fits well alongside those for a varied coffee-table spread. Cheesecake-style variations are especially flexible and invite many flavor combinations.