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Cream Cakes, Classics, Cakes

Strawberry Quark Cream Cake

by Lisa

Trained pastry chef

Strawberry quark cream cake with lemon sponge, marbled strawberry cream and a red strawberry glaze

5.0 (1)out of 5, 1 rating

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Prep
20 min
Bake
30 min
Chill
4 hr
Total
4 hr 50 min
Makes
12 slices

Strawberry quark cream cake with lemon sponge: a fresh classic for spring

When the first sweet strawberries show up at the farmers' market or in the garden, spring has officially arrived for me. And what could suit this fruity season better than a true classic cake in a fresh new look?

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My strawberry quark cream cake with lemon sponge, known in Germany as Käsesahnetorte, brings together the best of two worlds: the creamy, airy lightness of a classic quark cream cake and the fruity flavor of puréed strawberries, right in season. The sponge gets fresh lemon zest and a little juice, which gives it a wonderful freshness that goes beautifully with the fruity filling.

This cake is perfect for strawberry season, a spring coffee afternoon with friends or as the highlight of your Mother's Day table. It's light, not too sweet and a real eye-catcher, ideal for anyone who loves freshness, fruit and a little nostalgia.

In my recipe I'll show you step by step how easy it is to bake this lovely spring cake yourself. Have fun trying it, and as always: baked with love simply tastes best.

PS: In the photos I made half the recipe in a 7-inch (18 cm) springform pan!

Ingredients

Makes 12 slices

Sponge

  • 4large eggsGerman size M = US large
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbsp120 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • lemon zesta little
  • ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp100 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • 6 tbsp50 gcornstarchA fine starch, usually made from corn, used to thicken creams and lighten cakes. In the US use cornstarch; in the UK, cornflour.
  • 1 tspbaking powderGerman baking powder is sold in 15 g packets, each meant for about 500 g (4 cups) of flour. In the US and UK use regular baking powder (1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp per 15 g packet).
  • 1 ½ tbsp20 gunsalted buttermelted. German butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter (European-style unsalted butter is closest); in the UK, unsalted butter.

Cream

  • 5egg yolks
  • 1 ¼ cups300 mlmilk
  • 1 cup plus 1 tbsp220 ggranulated sugar
  • 7 sheetsgelatinGerman recipes usually mean gelatin sheets of about 1.7 g each. In the US use unflavored powdered gelatin, about ½ tsp (1.7 g) per sheet, bloomed in cold water; in the UK, leaf gelatine, weighed (about 1.7 g per German sheet), or powdered gelatine.
  • 2 cups500 gquarkA fresh, mild and slightly tangy cheese with a spoonable texture, used in German cheesecakes, doughs and creams. In the US use full-fat Greek yogurt strained overnight, or farmer's cheese; in the UK, quark from the supermarket chiller (choose a full-fat one if you can find it).
  • 2 cups500 mlheavy creamGerman cream for whipping has about 30 to 32 percent fat. In the US use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; in the UK, whipping cream (double cream also works but whips faster, so watch it).
  • ¾ cup120 gstrawberriesdiced
  • ½ cup130 gstrawberriespuréed

Glaze

  • 1 packetclear cake glazered. A powder that sets fruit juice or water into a clear glaze over fruit tarts. In the US use clear cake glaze powder (sold online), or fruit juice thickened with about 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup; in the UK, quick-set cake glaze sachets, or fruit juice thickened with about 1 tbsp cornflour per 250 ml.
  • ⅓ cup75 gstrawberriespuréed
  • 2 tbsp30 mlheavy cream
  • ½ cup plus 1 tbsp140 mlwater
  • powdered sugara little. Very finely ground sugar for icings and dusting. In the US use powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar); in the UK, icing sugar.
  • pistachioschopped, a little

Method

Sponge

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) convection (fan). Line the bottom of a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan with parchment paper.

  2. Beat the eggs with the sugar, salt & vanilla for about 10 minutes until pale and fluffy. Melt the butter. Mix the flour, cornstarch and baking powder.

  3. Sift the dry ingredients over the egg mixture and fold them in gently, drizzling in the butter as you go.

  4. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the sponge is golden. Then turn it upside down onto a wire rack and let it cool completely in the pan on the rack.

  5. Once the sponge has reached room temperature, release it from the pan and cut it in half horizontally. Put the bottom layer back into the pan and close the springform ring tightly.

Cream

  1. Soak the gelatin in cold water.

  2. Warm the egg yolks, milk and sugar over a water bath, stirring constantly until the mixture is hot, about 176°F (80°C). Take it off the heat, squeeze the gelatin out of the water and stir it in.

  3. Let the mixture cool until lukewarm, then stir in the quark.

  4. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it into the mixture. Take out about ⅓ and fold the puréed strawberries into it. Add the diced strawberries to the remaining ⅔.

  5. First spread the light cream over the sponge in the pan, then spoon the strawberry cream on top and swirl lightly for a marbled look.

  6. Place the top sponge layer on the cream and chill for at least 3 hours.

Decoration

  1. Make the clear cake glaze following the package directions, but use 7 tbsp (100 ml) less liquid, because the cream and the puréed strawberries replace it.

  2. Let the glaze cool a little, but spread it over the cake while it's still fairly hot. Then let it cool completely and set.

  3. Before you remove the springform ring, the cake must be chilled all the way through (!!!).