Here’s the perfect German Cheesecake: it’s easy to make, it’s decadently delicious and it’s perfectly fluffy, moist and firm every single time.
This traditional German cheesecake (or Käsekuchen) has a slightly crunchy crust and a firm creamy filling full of sweet flavors and rich texture.
This recipe is a perfect example of how a few simple ingredients, combined with a little time can take your food to the next level.
Similar to the Cherry Crumble this German recipe calls for basic ingredients like eggs, flour, butter, sugar, and Greek yogurt.
But wait, no cheese? That’s right. Greek yogurt is the creamy secret to making this recipe.
So, come along with me as we bring a piece of Germany to your kitchen with this delicious, melt-in-your-mouth German cheesecake also known as Käsekuchen.
Ingredients
Making Käsekuchen from scratch is easy.
The cake consists of two components: the crust and the filling. In order to make this recipe, you will need to own a springform.
Ingredients For The Crust
- Wet Ingredients – butter, egg yolk, vanilla extract, water
- Dry Ingredients – sugar, flour, salt
Ingredients for the Filling
- Wet Ingredients – eggs, lemon juice + zest, pure vanilla extract, butter, Greek Yogurt (I get the best results using 0% fat Greek yogurt.)
- Dry Ingredients – sugar, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt
How To Make German Cheesecake
Making The Crust
- Begin making the crust by combining the dry and wet ingredients.
- Use the dough hook on your mixer and mix the ingredients until you have a crumbly dough.
- Add a little water if needed as you mix to keep the dough slightly moist. Then remove the dough from the mixing bowl and form by hand into a dough ball.
- Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Spread a pinch of flour onto a working surface. Roll out the dough. Make sure to roll out the dough big enough to cover the bottom and the sides of your springform.
- Raise the dough up the sides of the springform pan.
- Once the entire springform has been covered with dough, use a fork to poke holes into the bottom.
Making the Filling
- Use a hand or stand mixer to beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Combine egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Add lemon juice and zest, vanilla extract, and melted butter.
- Add the Greek yogurt to the batter.
- Slowly fold the egg whites and mix all together into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the springform.
- Bake for 60 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
- Rest for two hours or overnight.
Recipe Notes
If you’ve looked at other authentic German cheesecake recipes you’ll often find a reference to ‘quark’. So what the heck is it?
Quark is a staple in the dairy aisle of every German grocery store. It’s used as a spread on breakfast rolls and it’s used in cooking as well as baking.
But you’ll be hard-pressed to find quark in American supermarkets. Sometimes you can spot quark at Whole Foods, but with this German-American version of Käsekuchen you won’t miss ‘quark’.
Foodie Culture
Käsekuchen or German Cheesecake is one of the most popular German cakes.
If you visit Germany you’ll get to experience German bakeries. They are everywhere. You’ll often find two types of Käsekuchen on display: a plain one and one with raisins.
If you like raisins, simply add a cup to the filling before pouring it into the springform.
TIP: Sprinkle the raisins with a little flour before adding them to the filling. This will prevent the raisins from sinking to the bottom of the dough.
How to pronounce Käsekuchen
I’d pronounce Käsekuchen ‘case-a-coo-chen’. The ‘ä’ symbol is a sort of vowel extension called ‘umlaut’. It makes a deep sounding deep ‘a’ sound into more of an ‘eeeh’ sound.
Please keep in mind this is just for fun and a far cry from what a German teacher would do.
But when you’re in that German bakery you won’t have to just silently point to Käsekuchen!
Less talking. More eating. Enjoy!
Craving More Baked Goods?
German Cheesecake
Rate RecipeIngredients
Crust
- 12 tablespoons butter cubed
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Filling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs divided
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large lemon juice + zest
- 2 sticks butter melted
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 32 ounces Greek Yogurt 0% fat
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- Use a 10 inch springform and coat with butter. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of flour.
Make the crust
- Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the egg yolk, confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract, and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture is creamy. About 1-2 minutes.
- Change to the mixer's paddle attachment and add flour and butter. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it into plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge.
Make the filling
- Separate eggs, whisk the egg whites with a mixer until they form stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Use a large bowl and combine the granulated sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, vanilla extract, and the melted butter and beat until creamy. About 3 minutes.
- Add corn starch, flour, and baking powder and continue to blend on medium-high speed until the mixture is very creamy. Slowly add the Greek yogurt to the mixture. Reduce the speed to medium low and blend well.
- Fold the whisked egg whites into the mixture.
Making the Cheesecake
- Shape the dough into a disc. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a approximately 13-inch circle.
- Transfer the dough into the springform. Cover the bottom and push dough up the sides. Remove any excess dough.
- Pour the filling into the springform. Bake cheesecake for 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least two hours. Serve with whipped cream and a side of fruit.
Nutrition
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