German Cherry Cake – Cherry Custard Pie Recipe
This traditional German Cherry Cake, also known as Cherry Custard Pie, features a buttery shortcrust base topped with a creamy quark custard filling and juicy cherries. It combines a crisp pastry, delicate vanilla custard, and tart cherries for a delightful dessert perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Ingredients
Scale
Shortcrust Pastry
- 250 grams flour
- 125 grams butter
- 150 grams sugar
- 1 packet of vanilla sugar
- 1 egg
Filling
- 750 grams quark (drained)
- 100 ml milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 25 grams butter, melted and cooled
- 2 sachets vanilla pudding custard powder (Dr. Oetker) or 80 grams cornstarch and seeds from 1 ½ vanilla bean pods
- 130 grams sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 60 grams sugar
- 2 cups cherries (sour cherries, Rainier, or other varieties), drained if canned
Instructions
- Prepare the cherries and quark: Drain the cherries thoroughly if using canned. Drain the quark in a colander for 10 minutes to remove excess liquid. If substituting with Greek yogurt, use 1 kg and drain overnight using a sieve lined with paper towels, then weigh out 750 grams.
- Make the shortcrust pastry: Combine 250 grams flour, 125 grams butter, 150 grams sugar, a packet of vanilla sugar, and 1 egg in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the dough forms a ball or disk. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, blend 750 grams drained quark, 100 ml milk, 2 egg yolks, 25 grams melted and cooled butter, 2 packets of vanilla pudding powder (or cornstarch and vanilla bean seeds), and 130 grams sugar until smooth and creamy. In a separate clean bowl, whisk 2 egg whites with 60 grams sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the quark mixture to lighten the batter.
- Assemble the cake: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Press two-thirds of the dough evenly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan; no rolling out is necessary. Use the remaining third to form a rim around the edge of the pan.
- Add filling and cherries: Pour the quark custard filling onto the dough base and spread evenly. Sprinkle the drained cherries over the top of the filling.
- Bake the cake: Preheat the oven to 170-180°C (350°F). Bake the cake for 60 to 70 minutes until the filling is set and the crust is golden. Allow the cake to cool before removing from the pan and serving.
Notes
- Draining the quark or Greek yogurt is essential to prevent the filling from being too wet and ensures a firm custard texture.
- If unable to find vanilla pudding powder, substitute with 80 grams cornstarch and seeds from 1 ½ vanilla bean pods for authentic flavor.
- Pressing the dough directly into the pan avoids extra rolling and preserves a tender shortcrust texture.
- Use sour cherries for a traditional tart contrast, but Rainier or other sweet cherries can also be used according to preference.
Keywords: German cherry cake, cherry custard pie, quark cake, shortcrust pastry dessert, baked cherry cake, vanilla custard pie
