11 German Desserts and Austrian Bakes That Taste Like a Cozy Cafe in the Alps
In Germany and Austria, there is a lovely tradition called Kaffee und Kuchen. Every afternoon, families stop for coffee and a slice of cake. No rush, no screens, just good conversation and something homemade. Classic German desserts are not overly sweet. They are full of fruit, cream, nuts and butter. Germany also gave us gingerbread, so do not miss these gingerbread treats. Want to bring that cozy cafe feeling into your own kitchen? Grab your apron and let us bake..
Bienenstich, the Bee Sting Cake of German Desserts
Bienenstich means bee sting, and legend says a baker was stung by a bee drawn to the honey topping. It is one of the most loved German desserts. A soft yeast cake is topped with crunchy honey almonds, then split and filled with vanilla cream. Every bite is crisp, soft and creamy at once. It is worth every minute.
You will need: Dough: 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 packet yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, 2/3 cup warm milk, 1/4 cup butter, 1 egg. Topping: 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp cream, 1 cup sliced almonds. Filling: 2 cups vanilla pudding, 1 cup whipped cream.
How to make it: Knead the dough ingredients into a soft dough and let rise 1 hour. Press into a greased 9 inch pan. Simmer the butter, sugar, honey and cream, stir in the almonds and spread over the dough. Rise 20 minutes, then bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Cool, split in half, fill with pudding folded with whipped cream.
Black Forest Cake
Black Forest cake, or Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte, is probably the most famous of all German desserts. Layers of chocolate sponge are soaked with cherry syrup, filled with whipped cream and sour cherries, and covered in chocolate shavings. It looks impressive, yet each step is simple. Traditionally the syrup has a splash of kirsch, cherry brandy, but cherry juice works well too.
You will need: Chocolate sponge cake in 3 layers, 1 jar sour cherries in juice, 3 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 3 cups heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, chocolate shavings, fresh cherries.
How to make it: Drain the cherries and save the juice. Thicken 1 cup juice with sugar and cornstarch, then stir in the cherries and cool. Brush the cake layers with juice. Whip the cream with powdered sugar. Layer cake, cherries and cream. Cover with cream, press on chocolate shavings and top with cherries.
Apple Strudel, the Pride of Austrian and German Desserts
Apfelstrudel is the pride of Vienna. Paper thin pastry is wrapped around apples, raisins, cinnamon and buttery breadcrumbs, then baked until crisp and golden. Austrian grandmothers stretch the dough so thin you can read a newspaper through it. At home, store bought phyllo is a great shortcut. Serve it warm with vanilla sauce or whipped cream. Coffee optional, but recommended.
You will need: 8 sheets phyllo dough, 1/2 cup melted butter, 4 apples peeled and thinly sliced, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup raisins, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs toasted in butter, juice of 1/2 lemon.
How to make it: Mix the apples, sugar, raisins, cinnamon and lemon juice. Layer the phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the bottom half. Add the apples, fold in the sides and roll up. Brush with butter. Bake at 375F for 35 to 40 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.
Kaiserschmarrn, the Emperor Pancake
Kaiserschmarrn is a fluffy, torn up pancake that Austrian kids and grown ups both adore. The story says it was made for Emperor Franz Joseph. It is cooked in a pan, torn into pieces with two forks, caramelized with a little sugar and served with plum compote or applesauce. Quick poll: pancakes for dessert? A) Yes always B) Only on weekends C) Breakfast only D) Never. Kaiserschmarrn is one of the few German desserts eaten as a full meal.
You will need: 4 eggs separated, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 2 tbsp sugar plus extra, pinch of salt, 1/4 cup raisins, 2 tbsp butter, powdered sugar, applesauce or plum jam.
How to make it: Whisk the yolks, flour, milk and salt. Beat the whites with 2 tbsp sugar until stiff and fold in. Melt butter in a large pan, pour in the batter and scatter the raisins. Cook until golden underneath, flip in sections, then tear into pieces with two forks. Sprinkle with sugar and toss until caramelized. Dust with powdered sugar.
Kasekuchen, the Lighter Cheesecake of German Desserts
German cheesecake is lighter and more tangy than the dense New York style. It is made with quark, a fresh soft cheese, and often has a hint of lemon. If you cannot find quark, Greek yogurt and cream cheese together work nicely. The crust is a simple shortcrust instead of crackers. Would you pick this lighter style or classic New York cheesecake?
You will need: Crust: 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup butter, 1 egg. Filling: 2 lb quark (or 1 lb Greek yogurt plus 1 lb cream cheese), 3/4 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1/4 cup cornstarch, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup cream.
How to make it: Mix the crust ingredients and press into a 9 inch springform pan, up the sides a little. Beat all the filling ingredients until smooth and pour into the crust. Bake at 325F for 60 to 70 minutes until just set. Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside with the door ajar for 30 minutes. Chill overnight.
Plum Cake, a Late Summer Star of German Desserts
When plums are in season, German bakeries fill their windows with trays of Zwetschgenkuchen. Halved plums are packed tightly on a soft yeast or butter cake base, often with a crumbly streusel on top. As it bakes, the plums turn jammy and sweet tart. Serve it with a big spoon of whipped cream. It is the taste of late summer and early autumn.
You will need: Base: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup milk. Topping: 2 lb plums halved and pitted, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp sugar, optional streusel.
How to make it: Beat the butter and sugar, add the eggs, then the flour, baking powder and milk. Spread in a greased 9×13 pan. Press the plum halves in tight rows, cut side up. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and streusel if using. Bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or cool with whipped cream.
German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)
Every German family has its own apple cake recipe, and this one is the simple everyday kind. Thin apple slices are fanned over a buttery batter and brushed with apricot jam for a glossy finish. It is quick, homey and perfect for using up fall apples. Is apple cake on your table this season? It should be. Apple cake is one of the most common German desserts at Sunday coffee time.
You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tbsp milk, 3 apples peeled and thinly sliced, 3 tbsp apricot jam warmed.
How to make it: Beat the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking powder and milk. Spread into a greased 9 inch pan. Arrange the apple slices in circles on top, pressing in slightly. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Brush with warm apricot jam while hot.
Strawberry Cake (Erdbeerkuchen)
Erdbeerkuchen is a summer star of German desserts and one of the prettiest. A light sponge base is spread with vanilla pudding and topped with rows of fresh strawberries, then covered in a clear glaze that makes them shine. It looks like it came from a bakery window. Frozen berries will not work here, so save this for strawberry season.
You will need: 1 store bought or homemade sponge flan base, 1 cup vanilla pudding, 2 lb fresh strawberries halved, 1 packet clear cake glaze or 1 cup strawberry juice with 1 tbsp cornstarch, whipped cream to serve.
How to make it: Spread the cooled pudding over the sponge base. Arrange the strawberries tightly on top. Cook the glaze according to the packet, or simmer the juice with cornstarch until clear. Spoon it over the berries quickly. Chill for 1 hour and serve with whipped cream.
German Butter Cake (Butterkuchen)
Butterkuchen is a flat, soft yeast cake covered in little wells of melted butter, sugar and sliced almonds. It is a classic at German birthdays, weddings and even funerals, because it is easy to make in big trays for a crowd. The top turns caramelized and crunchy while the inside stays tender. Simple ingredients, big flavor. Like many German desserts, it is best on the day it is baked.
You will need: 3 cups flour, 1 packet yeast, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cup warm milk, 1/4 cup soft butter, 1 egg, pinch of salt. Topping: 1/2 cup cold butter in small pieces, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla sugar, 1/2 cup sliced almonds.
How to make it: Knead the dough ingredients until smooth and let rise 1 hour. Roll out on a greased sheet pan and rise 20 minutes more. Press dimples all over with your fingers. Drop butter pieces into the dimples, then sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Bake at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.
Berry Cream Torte (Sahnetorte)
A Sahnetorte is a cream cake, and German cafes take them seriously. Layers of light sponge are filled with whipped cream and fresh berries, then piped with rosettes on top. It looks fancy, but it is mostly about patience and cold cream. Which berry would you choose for the top: A) Raspberries B) Strawberries C) Blueberries D) A mix of all three?
You will need: 2 thin sponge cake layers, 3 cups heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 packet cream stabilizer or 1 tsp gelatin, 2 cups mixed berries.
How to make it: Whip the cream with sugar, vanilla and stabilizer until stiff. Spread a thick layer on the first sponge and scatter berries. Add the second layer and cover the whole cake in cream. Pipe rosettes around the top and decorate with berries. Chill at least 2 hours before slicing.
Red Wine Chocolate Cake (Rotweinkuchen)
Rotweinkuchen is a moist chocolate cake made with red wine and grated chocolate. The alcohol bakes off, leaving a deep, fruity richness that is perfect for fall and Christmas. It is usually baked in a bundt pan and covered with a simple chocolate glaze. It stays moist for days, which makes it great for holiday guests. It is one of the most underrated German desserts for the holidays.
You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 4 eggs, 2 cups flour, 2 tbsp cocoa, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup red wine, 3 oz grated dark chocolate. Glaze: 4 oz dark chocolate, 2 tbsp butter.
How to make it: Beat the butter and sugar, then the eggs. Mix in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and cinnamon alternately with the wine. Fold in the grated chocolate. Bake in a greased bundt pan at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool. Melt the chocolate and butter and pour over the cake.
