German Cherry Cake - Cherry Custard Pie Recipe
This Cherry Pie with Vanilla Custard is an easy German Cherry Cake recipe featuring a no-roll shortcrust pastry, creamy vanilla custard filling made with quark or Greek yogurt, and tart cherries for a traditional German treat!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- - 250 g flour about 2 cups
- - 125 g butter softened, about 1/2 cup
- - 150 g sugar 3/4 cup
- - 1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- - 1 egg
For the Filling:
- - 750 g quark or 750 g drained Greek yogurt, see instructions
- - 100 ml milk 1/3 cup + 4 teaspoons
- - 2 egg yolks
- - 25 g butter melted, about 2 tablespoons
- - 2 sachets vanilla pudding custard powder or 80 g cornstarch + seeds from 1 1/2 vanilla bean pods
- - 130 g sugar 2/3 cup
- - 2 egg whites
- - 60 g sugar 1/4 cup
- - 2 cups sour cherries fresh, frozen, or canned; drained if canned
Instructions
- Prepare the Cherries and Quark: Drain the cherries if using canned. If using Greek yogurt, drain 1 kg in a colander lined with paper towels overnight in the fridge, then measure out 750 g. If using quark, let it drain in a colander for 10 minutes.
- Make the Shortcrust Pastry: In a stand mixer, combine the flour, butter, sugar, vanilla sugar, and egg. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Make the Custard Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the quark (or drained yogurt), milk, egg yolks, melted butter (cooled), vanilla pudding powder (or cornstarch and vanilla seeds), and 130 g sugar until smooth. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites with 60 g sugar until stiff peaks form, then fold them gently into the custard mixture.
- Prepare the Crust: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, forming an even layer. Use the remaining dough to create a rim around the edges.
- Assemble the Cake: Pour the custard filling over the crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the drained cherries evenly over the filling.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cake for 60-70 minutes, or until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool completely in the pan to ensure the filling sets. Once cooled, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar for presentation. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- If quark is unavailable, Greek yogurt is a great substitute. Be sure to drain it overnight to achieve the right consistency.
- If the shortcrust pastry is too crumbly, knead in a small amount of cold water to make it pliable.
- Use a 9-inch springform pan or a deep-dish pie pan. If unavailable, divide the recipe into two 8-inch pie pans.