Quark and yogurt cake with blueberriesPhoto: Alexandra Gorsche | KI-gestützte Bildbearbeitung

A Slice of Childhood That Always Tastes Wonderful: Quark and Yogurt Cake with Blueberries

Name: A Slice of Childhood That Always Tastes Wonderful: Quark and Yogurt Cake with Blueberries
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 10-12 slices
Ingredients: Ingredients for the cake base:; • 2 eggs; • 1 pinch of salt; • 40 g granulated sugar; • 40 g brown sugar; • 1 packet vanilla sugar; • 60 ml water; • 65 ml neutral vegetable oil; • 125 g wheat flour; • ½ packet baking powder; • A little oil for greasing the pan; Gluten-free alternative to wheat flour; instead of 125 g wheat flour, use the following mix:; • 75 g rice flour; • 40 g cornstarch or potato starch; • 5 g locust bean gum; • 5 g psyllium husks; Thoroughly mix the gluten-free ingredients together before use.; Ingredients for the quark-yogurt cream:; • 250 g quark, 20% fat in dry matter; • 150 g Greek yogurt; • 100 g powdered sugar; • 1 egg yolk, preferably pasteurized; • Freshly grated zest of an organic lemon, to taste; • 3 sheets gelatine; • 250 ml heavy cream; Also needed:; • 4–5 tbsp apricot jam; For decoration:; • Fresh blueberries; • Slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Creamy, light, wonderfully fresh, and beautifully versatile: This quark and yogurt cake has been with me since my childhood. Why I still love the combination of quark, Greek yogurt, and lemon to this day, and how the very same cream can also be turned into elegant dessert quenelles on a fruit coulis.

Some recipes come and go. Others stay for a lifetime. This quark and yogurt cake definitely belongs to the second category for me. I've been baking it since childhood, and to this day I love how just a few ingredients turn into a wonderfully airy, pleasantly fresh cream that feels neither heavy nor overloaded.

The real secret? The combination of quark and yogurt. Quark provides a fine, creamy structure and a pleasant tanginess, while Greek yogurt adds extra smoothness. Together with freshly grated lemon zest and gently folded whipped cream, it creates a mixture that is not only perfect as a cake filling.

Because this recipe is a true all-rounder: The cream can just as easily be spooned into glasses or, after sufficient chilling, served as quenelles on a fruity berry or apricot coulis. If you prefer a richer quark flavor and a firmer texture, use only quark. If you prefer a milder, exceptionally smooth variation, go for yogurt. But my personal favorite remains the blend of both.

As a cake, the cream rests on a moist, uncomplicated base that I spread with a thin layer of apricot jam. The fruity acidity creates a lovely contrast to the cream. For this version, I decorated the cake with fresh blueberries, toasted slivered almonds, and a touch of edible gold dust. After all, a little sparkle never hurts!

Time

75 min

Servings

10-12 slices

Difficulty

medium

Ingredients

Ingredients for the cake base:
2 eggs
1 pinch of salt
40 g granulated sugar
40 g brown sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
60 ml water
65 ml neutral vegetable oil
125 g wheat flour
½ packet baking powder
A little oil for greasing the pan

Gluten-free alternative to wheat flour; instead of 125 g wheat flour, use the following mix:
75 g rice flour
40 g cornstarch or potato starch
5 g locust bean gum
5 g psyllium husks

Thoroughly mix the gluten-free ingredients together before use.

Ingredients for the quark-yogurt cream:
250 g quark, 20% fat in dry matter
150 g Greek yogurt
100 g powdered sugar
1 egg yolk, preferably pasteurized
Freshly grated zest of an organic lemon, to taste
3 sheets gelatine
250 ml heavy cream

Also needed:
4–5 tbsp apricot jam

For decoration:
Fresh blueberries
Slivered almonds, lightly toasted
A little edible gold dust

Preparation

Baking the cake base

1
Preheat the oven to 180 °C top/bottom heat. Line the bottom of a springform pan with baking paper and lightly grease the rim.
2
Separate the eggs. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
3
In a second bowl, beat the egg yolks with granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla sugar until pale and fluffy.
4
Slowly pour in the water and oil, continuing to mix until a homogeneous mixture is formed.
5
Mix the flour with the baking powder and stir into the yolk mixture. For the gluten-free version, use the prepared gluten-free flour blend instead.
6
Finally, gently fold in the whipped egg whites with a spatula, keeping as much air in the batter as possible.
7
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan, smooth it out, and bake at 180 °C for about 25–30 minutes.
8
Since actual baking time can vary depending on the oven and pan, be sure to perform the toothpick test: if a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean without wet batter, the base is baked through.

Preparing the base

1
Allow the cake base to cool completely, then carefully remove it from the springform pan.
2
Clean the springform pan thoroughly. Place the cooled base back inside and spread evenly with 4–5 tablespoons of apricot jam.
3
My tip: If you want a particularly clean edge on your cake, use an adjustable cake ring or cake collar foil. This makes it easier to unmold the cream smoothly later.

Preparing the quark-yogurt cream

1
Stir together the quark, Greek yogurt, powdered sugar, egg yolk, and freshly grated lemon zest until smooth.
2
Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for a few minutes. Then squeeze out well and gently dissolve with a few drops of water over a warm water bath. Do not let it boil.
3
To prevent gelatine lumps from forming, first stir two to three tablespoons of the quark-yogurt cream into the dissolved gelatine. Then quickly stir this mixture back into the remaining cream.
4
Whip the cream until stiff and gently fold it in. This keeps the cream light and airy.

Assembling the cake

1
Pour the quark-yogurt cream onto the cake base spread with apricot jam and smooth it out evenly.
2
Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least four hours until the cream has set sufficiently.
3
Even better: Chill overnight. This gives the cream enough time to develop its structure, making the cake easier to slice the next day.

Decorating and serving

1
Carefully remove the cake ring.
2
Arrange blueberries on one side of the surface, finish with a touch of edible gold dust, and loosely scatter toasted slivered almonds in between.
3
Feel free to keep the decoration asymmetrical. This looks modern and elegant, making the light-colored cream stand out beautifully.
4
Keep well chilled until ready to serve.

Tip

Only quark or only yogurt?

The cream can be adapted entirely to your taste. For a stronger quark character and a somewhat firmer texture, you can replace the full dairy amount with quark. Using exclusively Greek yogurt makes the result milder and smoother. However, depending on the product and water content, the firmness may vary. If you make major changes to the ratio, the amount of gelatine may need to be adjusted.

As a dessert instead of a cake

Spoon the mixture into small glasses or, once set, scoop out quenelles and arrange them on a fruit coulis. Raspberry, strawberry, or apricot purée pair particularly well. A few toasted almonds add extra texture.

For a gluten-free variation

Try the cake base with the specified gluten-free flour blend. Make sure to also check for gluten-free decorations and appropriately labeled baking ingredients.

For extra freshness

Freshly grated lemon zest adds flavor without sweetening the cream further. If you prefer a fruitier note, you can also add a thin layer of berry purée between the base and cream, though it should be adequately set.

For an elegant look

Briefly toast slivered almonds in a dry pan until golden brown and let them cool completely. Add them to the cake with the blueberries just before serving so the nuts retain their crunch.

For a particularly smooth cream

The quark and yogurt should not be ice-cold when the gelatine is stirred in. Too large a temperature difference can cause the gelatine to set prematurely and form tiny lumps.

For clean cake slices

Briefly dip a sharp knife into hot water, wipe it dry, and slice. Clean the blade between cuts to ensure neat, uniform slices.
This cake doesn't need to constantly reinvent itself. That's precisely what makes it so special to me. It is straightforward, versatile, wonderfully fresh, and transforms effortlessly from a family classic into an elegant dessert. And sometimes, it's those exact recipes that have accompanied us since childhood that still taste best of all.
An important kitchen note remains: Because the egg yolk in the cream is not heated, pasteurized egg yolk should be used for this recipe, and the finished cake must be kept continuously chilled.

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