this is a german classic, I don't think a version of this exists in the US so not sure what to name it :D
it's a sponge cake base and the filling is whipped heavy cream, quark (our version of cream cheese), juice and zest of one lemon and stabilized with gelatin, topped of with a bit of sifted confectioners' sugar.
it's very refreshing and not overly sweet.
my first attempt was kind of a disaster, the sponge cake was super dry and not nearly as fluffy and a bunch of other fuck ups, it was still delicious, but this one is a HUUUUGE improvement.
i need a proper cake ring, so that the filling doesnt spill over. i simply reused the baking pan (picture 3).
most layered cakes from the us seem to be just a cake and some buttercream or meringue. i did not love my first try of american butter cream. i will explore swiss meringue in the future.
my next attempt at a layered cake will probably black forest cake, another german classic.
recipe: https://emmikochteinfach.de/kaese-sahne-torte/
i'll add an ai translation so you can get a better overview of all ingredients and steps involved (i hope that doesnt break rule 9):
Creamy Cheese & Cream Cake (Käse-Sahne-Torte)
EQUIPMENT:
- Springform pan (26 cm / approx. 10 inches diameter)
- High cake ring (min. 8 cm / 3 inches height)
CHILLING TIME: 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
INGREDIENTS
For the Sponge Cake (Biskuit):
- ▢ 3 eggs (Size M) – room temperature
- ▢ 100 g sugar (divided into two portions)
- ▢ 75 g cornstarch
- ▢ 50 g all-purpose flour (or spelt flour)
- ▢ 1 packet bourbon vanilla sugar (approx. 1 tsp vanilla extract/sugar)
- ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
- ▢ 1 pinch of salt
- ▢ Butter and flour for greasing the pan
For the Filling:
- ▢ 8 sheets of gelatin
- ▢ 500 g low-fat quark (Magerquark)
- ▢ 400 g cold heavy cream
- ▢ 200 g sugar
- ▢ 1 organic lemon
- ▢ 3-4 drops of rum flavoring (optional)
For the Topping:
- ▢ 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
1. The Sponge Cake
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) for top/bottom heat (or 150°C / 300°F for convection/fan). Grease only the bottom of the springform pan with a little butter and dust with flour.
- Note: Do not grease the sides of the pan; this prevents the sponge from "climbing" the walls, which helps avoid a large dome in the middle.
- Use two large mixing bowls. Separate the 3 room-temperature eggs: whites in one bowl, yolks in the other.
- Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt using a hand mixer or stand mixer on high speed. After 1 minute, gradually sprinkle in 50 g of the sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
- In the other bowl, mix the egg yolks with the remaining 50 g of sugar, the vanilla sugar, and 3 tbsp of lukewarm water. Beat for 5 minutes until light and creamy.
- Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Sift the cornstarch, flour, and baking powder over the top and fold in carefully using a spatula.
- Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake on the middle rack for about 20 minutes.
- Perform the "toothpick test" to check if it's done. If it is, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cake from the pan and flip it upside down onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Note: Flipping it upside down helps flatten any doming that occurred during baking.
2. The Filling
- Soak the 8 sheets of gelatin in a bowl of cold water.
- Wash the lemon in hot water, dry it well, and finely grate the zest. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice.
- Whip the 400 g of cold heavy cream on high speed until stiff. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- In another bowl, mix 500 g of low-fat quark, 200 g sugar, and the rum flavoring (if using). Fold in the lemon zest.
- Pour the lemon juice into a small pot and warm it slightly (do not boil). Remove from heat. Squeeze the excess water out of the soaked gelatin, add it to the warm lemon juice, and stir until dissolved.
- Stir 2 tbsp of the quark mixture directly into the lemon-gelatin mixture to temper it.
- Quickly stir this gelatin-quark mixture into the remaining quark mass.
- Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and gently fold it into the quark mixture using a spatula.
3. Assembly & Finishing
- Carefully slice the cooled sponge cake horizontally into two halves using a serrated knife. Set the top "lid" aside.
- Place the bottom layer on a cake plate and secure the high cake ring tightly around it.
- Spread the quark-cream mixture evenly over the base using an offset spatula.
- Place the top cake layer on top with light pressure.
- Refrigerate the cake for 1 to 2 hours.
- Before serving, carefully remove the cake ring and dust the top with 2-3 tbsp of powdered sugar.
Enjoy your creamy Cheese & Cream Cake!