Austrian Plum Cake

Place a piece of baking paper on the bottom of the pan; this makes the cake easier to remove.

Pat very juicy plums briefly on kitchen paper to drain excess juice so the cake doesn't become soggy.

Even a tiny amount of yolk can make it difficult to whip the egg whites.

The meringue is ready when it forms firm peaks and you can carefully turn the bowl upside down without it falling out.

Take the butter out of the fridge in time so it can be creamed properly.

Stir only as long as necessary so the batter stays light.

Work with a spatula from the bottom upwards to retain as much air as possible in the batter.

Tap the pan lightly on the work surface once so the batter settles evenly.

Arrange the plums slightly overlapping so the topping stays nicely dense while baking.

Do a skewer test at the edge of the batter, as the area under the plums will naturally remain juicier.

It's best to dust while still slightly warm so the cinnamon-sugar mixture adheres particularly well.