Traditional German Cheesecake (Käsekuchen)

A traditional German cheesecake is one of the classic recipes of German baking. Light and airy, creamy and delicious this cheesecake is hard to resist.

I have adapted this recipe, so this cheesecake can be baked with or without quark.  Authentic German cheesecake is made with quark. It can be hard to get hold of quark outside of Germany. Therefore alongside the traditional recipe, you can make the cake with a mixture of creme cheese and greek yoghurt instead. We can call this version German-style cheesecake.

This is an easy recipe. I believe the key to success is to give your cheesecake enough time to bake and cool.

What is German cheesecake? 

German cheesecake using quark, eggs and sugar for a filling. The base is often made from a shortcrust pastry or yeast dough. 

Cheesecake in German is called “Käsekuchen” which is pronounced “KAY-ZE-COOK-EN”. Käse is the word for Cheese in Germany and “Kuchen” the word for cake. 

German cheesecake vs American cheesecake. What are the differences?

The German cheesecake filling consists mainly of quark, which makes it a lighter cake. American cheesecakes tend to use a filling of cream cheese mixed with either cream or ricotta. This makes the cake texture a little denser. 

The crust of the German version is usually made from shortcrust or yeast dough, whereas the American versions often use a cake base made from a sponge dough or graham crackers/biscuits.  

A German cheesecake is simply baked in the oven whereas a classic American cheesecake is prepared in a water bath.

A brief look at the Käsekuchen history

The first nation to start making a cake from quark and sour cream were the ancient Greeks. Later the Romans adopted the method. At first, the cheesecake was served as the main course, as we know from Taillevent, the cook of Carl V, who lived in the 14th century. [source Kuchenkultur]

The first written recipe in Germany was published in 1598, and here the cake was described as dessert. The recipe that we know as “THE German baked cheesecake” today was developed in the 19^th century. [source: Wikipedia Käsekuchen]

How to make German cheesecake? 

To make this recipe more accessible for everybody, I will give you a version with and without quark. Authentic German cheesecake is with quark. However, you can achieve a similar light texture by using a mixture between Greek yoghurt and creme cheese. 

Ingredients: 

For the cake base 

• 250 g / 8.8 oz flour (Germany type 405, UK plain four, USA pastry flour) 
• 125 g / 4.4 oz butter (at room temperature)
• 100 g / 3.5 oz sugar 
• 1 egg (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (affiliate link)

For the cake filling

• 1 kg / 35 oz – Quark (Margerquark) OR 500 g / 17.6 oz cream cheese and 500 g / 17.6 oz greek yoghurt (10% fat) 
• 200 g / 7 oz sugar 
• 200 g / 7 7 oz whipping cream
• 5 medium eggs (at room temperature)
• 40 g / 1.4 oz cornflour (alternatively you can use shop-bought or homemade vanilla pudding powder)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla sugar (see how to make homemade vanilla sugar or alternatively use 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (affiliate link))
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Recipe for German Cheesecake 

To make the base:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 356°F -top- bottom heat and line a 26 cm, 10 inches round cake form with parchment. Grease the sides with butter and dust with flour, this will make it easier to remove the cake from the form later. 
2. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the egg, flour and baking powder (affiliate link) and mix until completely combined.
3. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface or use a non-stick silicone mat. The shortcrust pastry dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Divide the dough into two. Using floured hands roll one of the dough parts into a roll and lay it around the edge of the baking form. 
4. With your fingers – press the edges up to create the crust of the cake (see pictures). The edges should be around 5 cm high. 
5. Roll out the remaining part of the dough and press it into the bottom of the pan.   

To make the filling

6. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the whipping cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, this should take about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
7. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment beat the quark (alternatively cream cheese and Greek Yoghurt), eggs, vanilla sugar, cornflour, eggs and lemon peel and granulated sugar together on medium speed until perfectly smooth and creamy. Scrap down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. - Then gently fold in the stiff cream into the mixture.
8. Spread the filling into the cake form. 
9. Place the cake into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the cake from the oven. With a sharp knife make a round incision about 1 cm from the edge. This will prevent your cake from cracking in the middle. 
10. Place back in the oven and bake for a further 30 minutes. (Total baking time approx. 1 hour) 
11. Baking time will vary according to your oven. After 1 hour check if the cake is done by pricking a skewer in the middle. If it comes out clean it is done. If not, place it back in the oven and check again every 5 minutes. (You will see that the cake has risen around the edges of our incision. Do not worry it will deflate back down and the cut won't be as visible).
12. In order to prevent your cake from splitting, you can cool the cake on the oven rack carefully pulled out and the door left open.

Recipe variations

There are many regional and seasonal recipe variations for German cheesecake. This is a basic recipe but you can adjust it according to your taste. 

• Add raisins or sultanas to your filling
• Add fresh seasonal fruit to your cheesecake. Apples and cherries, apricots and blueberries are especially popular 
• Russischer Zupfkuchen – is a German cheesecake mixed with chocolate cake. 
• Tränchenkuchen is a German cheesecake with a Baiser (merengue) hood. 
• Instead of using cornflour, you can also use Vanilla Pudding Powder (see my homemade vanilla pudding powder recipe)

How to stop my Cheesecake top cracking

There is nothing worse than removing your finished cheesecake from the oven only to realise that the top has cracked. Here are some tips to prevent this from happening. 

1. Use a stabilizer – for this reason, German recipes use vanilla pudding or cornflour to stabilize this cake. 
2. Pre-empt the cracking by making an incision halfway through the baking time. In theory, you are causing your cake top to crack. But this stops it from cracking rising in the middle. If you make an incision around the edges the cake will drop more evenly and the crack will be hardly noticeable (see pictures). 
3. Give it enough time to cool down. A large cheesecake can take up three hours to cool down. That is why it is important to give your cake enough time. Leave it to cool in the oven with the door open for at least an hour before moving it. This will allow the cake time to adjust to room temperature. Do not cool the cake in the fridge. 

How to serve German cheesecake? 

In Germany, this cake is served at birthday parties, special occasions or simply for “Kaffee und Kuchen” time. (Coffee and Cake). 

I like to decorate my cake in the summer by adding some fresh berries to the top. 

How to cut the cake. 

The best way to slice the cake is to use a sharp cake knife. Clean the knife after every slice with lukewarm water for a clean cut. 

How to store this cheesecake?

Don’t worry you can store this baked German cheesecake, once cooled, without any problems for 3-4 days in the fridge. Store the cake in an airtight container. 

Can I freeze German cheesecake? 

Of course, this is my favourite way to store it. You can store it in portions in airtight containers and your slices should stay good for up to three months. Defrost it at room temperature. Cheesecake made with fresh fruit does not freeze well. 

More German Cake Recipes:

• German Strawberry Cake
• German Stollen Recipe
• Blueberry Almond Cake
• Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

Did you try this recipe?

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