German Streusel Cake With Cherries

By
Jennifer McGavin
Jennifer McGavin
Jennifer McGavin learned to cook German food while living in Germany for 11 years and has worked in the food industry for many years.
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Updated on 02/9/22
Sliced fruit streusel cake
Getty Images/Christian Kargl/Westend61
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 1 cake
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
487 Calories
22g Fat
68g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 487
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 91mg 30%
Sodium 385mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 11mg 53%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 156mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This easy German streusel cake (streuselkuchen) with fruit filling is the closest German cooks get to a pie. While the concept is similar, slant-sided pies are an American tradition which came straight from the British.

Here, the streusel crust is much richer than pie dough and is pressed into a springform pan, keeping to a true cake form. You may use sweet or sour cherries (or combine them). It also works with any fruit, especially stone fruit, thickened with cornstarch (Germans would use potato starch) or even tapioca, for the filling if you like.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cherries, sweet or tart, washed and pitted, or canned

  • 1 1/2 cups cherry juice, from fresh cherries or canned cherries, mixed with water

  • 1 (3-ounce) package vanilla pudding mix, not instant

  • 3 1/3 cups (400 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 8 1/2 ounces (250 grams) unsalted butter, chilled

  • 2 large eggs, room temperature

  • Confectioners' sugar, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Wash and pit fresh cherries to make about 1 1/2 cups (about 1 pound) and save any juice that comes off the fruit.

  3. Measure juice from cherries and add water or juice to make 1 1/2 cups.

  4. Prepare pudding according to the directions, but with juice, NOT milk. ​If you do not have pudding mix, combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 4 tablespoons of sugar and some vanilla extract and cook into a pudding.

  5. After pudding thickens, stir in cherries and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the streusel.

  6. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, and baking powder.

  7. Add cold butter chunks and the eggs. Mix by either rubbing the ingredients together with your hands as for pie dough or use a mixer on low speed until crumbs form.

  8. Preheat oven to 350 F.

  9. Assemble the streusel cake: Press 2/3 of the crumbs into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a buttered, 9-inch springform pan. Make sure the dough is packed and no holes are visible. ​​If you do not have a springform pan, use a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan or maybe 2 (8-inch) pie pans.

  10. Pour the fruit on top of the unbaked crust. Do not fill above your crust, even if you have filling left over.

  11. Using the rest of the dough, crumble streusel over the top.

  12. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving or the filling will be runny.

  13. You can sprinkle a little confectioners' sugar over the top for a nice presentation.

  14. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream and enjoy!

Tips

  • Use a package of vanilla pudding, but not instant, or make your own.
  • ​​If you do not have a springform pan, use a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan or maybe 2 (8-inch) pie pans.
  • Cool completely or the fruit filling will be runny.
  • Sprinkle a little confectioners' sugar over the top when cooled to add a nice presentation before serving.

Recipe Variations

  • Instead of fresh cherries, use two 14-ounce cans of cherries. Drain but reserve the juice for the filling.
  • Substitute the vanilla sugar with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.