Description
This German Cherry Cake, also known as Cherry Custard Pie, features a tender shortcrust pastry filled with a creamy quark custard and topped with juicy sour cherries. The delicate vanilla custard combined with the natural tartness of cherries creates a deliciously balanced dessert perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortcrust Pastry
- 250 g flour
- 125 g butter
- 150 g sugar
- 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 1 egg
Filling
- 750 g quark (or 1 kg Greek yogurt drained overnight to yield 750 g)
- 100 ml milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 25 g butter, melted and cooled
- 2 packets vanilla pudding custard powder (Dr Oetker) or 80 g cornstarch + seeds of 1½ vanilla bean pods
- 130 g sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 60 g sugar
Topping
- 2 cups cherries (sour cherries, Rainier cherries, or similar), drained if canned
Instructions
- Prepare cherries and quark: Drain the cherries if using canned. Drain the quark in a colander for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture. If substituting with Greek yogurt, drain 1 kg overnight using a sieve lined with paper towels to yield about 750 g.
- Make shortcrust pastry: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 250 g flour, 125 g butter, 150 g sugar, the vanilla sugar packet, and 1 egg. Mix until a dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball or disk and chill for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: In a mixing bowl, combine 750 g quark, 100 ml milk, 2 egg yolks, 25 g cooled melted butter, 2 packets vanilla pudding powder (or cornstarch and vanilla bean seeds), and 130 g sugar. Mix until creamy and smooth. In a separate clean bowl, whisk 2 egg whites with 60 g sugar until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the quark custard mixture to lighten it.
- Assemble the crust: 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 of the dough to press up the sides to form a rim.
- Fill and top: Pour the quark custard filling onto the crust base, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the drained cherries evenly over the top.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 170-180°C (350°F). Bake the assembled cake in the oven for 60-70 minutes until the filling is set and the crust is golden. Allow it to cool before removing from the springform pan and serving.
Notes
- Draining the quark or yogurt is crucial to avoid a watery filling.
- If you don’t have vanilla pudding powder, substitute with cornstarch and real vanilla beans for authentic flavor.
- Sour cherries work best for a balance of tartness, but other varieties can be used depending on preference.
- Do not roll out the pastry; pressing it into the pan maintains a tender texture.
- Allow the cake to fully cool before serving for best slicing results.
