German Cherry Cake – Cherry Custard Pie

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This German Cherry Pie with Vanilla Custard is an easy German Cherry Cake recipe that you will love! No-roll shortcrust pastry, creamy vanilla quark filling, and tart sour cherries make this traditional German cake so special!  Jump to Recipe

German Cherry Cake aka Cherry Pie with Vanilla Custard! After you guys went nuts over my granny’s German Plum Cake, here is another one of her simple summer stone fruit cake recipes.

This easy German Cherry Pie with creamy vanilla custard is the closest German bakers get to a pie. It is actually more of a cherry cake but as you can make out the pastry, which is a simple German all-butter no-roll shortcrust pastry, I shall call it a cherry pie with vanilla custard? But hey, German cherry cake is fine too.

Here, the crust is much softer than a flaky pie dough and is simply pressed into a springform pan. Yes – no need to roll out the pastry!

On to the vanilla custard filling.  In Germany, we use “vanille pudding” for making this cherry pie – so vanilla custard in a lot of cakes and pastries and it is the kind of dessert you always find in a German fridge. Dr. Oetker pudding powder is what we would be most likely to use, if you can find it.  It is convenient but there is a simple homemade alternative to Dr. Oetker pudding powder.

You can get the custard powder at international stores or buy it online. In Canada, I get it at Canadian Superstore. With this simple German cherry pie recipe, you can make the Dr Oetker Style vanilla pudding custard powder in your own kitchen.

• 80 g cornstarch + 1 1/2 vanilla bean or 2 1/2 tbsp vanilla essence

Which cherries to use for cherry custard pie?

Bing and Rainier are among the most popular baking cherries and the variety you’re most likely to find fresh in the grocery store. Sour cherries are harder to find fresh (most are canned for pie filling), so this German cherry pie is developed for fresh cherries.

I used fresh sour cherries, but you can also use frozen, or canned and drained. Or, simply use any fruit, especially stone fruit. Mirabelle plums or raspberries and blueberries would be wonderful here as well. So would be rhubarb.

If you insist on streusel, you can make some from 150 g flour and 80 g each of cold butter and sugar and sprinkle them on top.

Tips:

• Use a package of vanilla custard powder,  or make your own by mixing cornstarch with the seeds of 1 whole vanilla bean.
• ​​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.
• German shortcrust pastry is a very simple dough that is easy to prepare and store. You can even let the finished dough rest in the refrigerator for several days.
• If the shortcrust pastry is too crumbly, knead in a little bit of cold water. That makes it pliable. But don’t overdo it, otherwise it will be too liquid.
• I always like to let the quark drain in a colander for a good 10 minutes but if you cannot find quark, use drained Greek yogurt.

More easy traditional German cake recipes from my grandma:

• German Red wine cake with pears
• German Cherry Chake
• Grandma’s German Raffaello Layer Cake
• German Blueberry Bundt Cake with Sour Cream
• German Apple Cake 
• German Peach Cake
• German Mohnkuchen

Want to learn how to bake Classic German Cakes?

Get my German Baking Book 

★ Did you make and love this German Cherry Custard Pie recipe? Give it your review below! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!

5 from 3 votes

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German Cherry Cake - Cherry Custard Pie

This Cherry Pie with Vanilla Custard is an easy German Cherry Cake recipe that you will love! No-roll shortcrust pastry, creamy vanilla quark filling, and tart sour cherries make this traditional German cake so special! 

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine germany

Keyword cherry custard pie, cherry custard tart, German cherry cake

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients

• 50 grams flour
• 125 g butter
• 150 grams sugar
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 1 egg

For the filling:

• 750 g quark or drained Greek yogurt - drain 1 kg Greek yogurt in a sieve lined with paper towles in the fridge over night - measure out 750 g
• 100 ml milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 25 g butter melted in the micro
• 2 sachets vanilla pudding custard powder (Dr Oetker) or 80 g cornstarch + 1 1/2 vanilla bean pods scraped out
• 130 g sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 60 g sugar
• 2 cups cherries sour cherries, rainier etc

Instructions

1. Drain the cherries before baking if using canned. Drain the quark in a colander for 10 minutes. If using Greek yogurt, use 1 kg as a starting weight and drain overnight in a sieve lined with paper towels. Then weigh out 750 g. 

2. Make the shortcrust pastry from 250 g flour, 125 g butter, 150 g sugar, a packet of vanilla sugar, and an egg. Mix in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Shape into ball or disk and chill for 30 min.
3. While you chill the dough make the filling by combining 750 g quark, 100 ml milk, 2 egg yolks, 25 g melted butter (should not be hot anymore), 2 packets of vanilla pudding powder ( see notes), and 130 g of sugar to a creamy, smooth batter. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with the 60 g sugar until stiff and fold into the quark custard.
4. Now remive the cold dough from the refrigerator and press two-thirds of the dough onto the bottom of the 9 inch springform pan. No need to roll out, just press in. Make a rim using the last third.
5. Add the quark mixture and sprinkle with the drained cherries on top and bake in the oven for about 60-70 minutes (170-180 C / 350 F).

Recipe Notes

 

• Use a package of vanilla custard powder,  or make your own by mixing cornstarch with the seeds of 1 whole vanilla bean. 
• ​​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.
• German shortcrust pastry is a very simple dough that is easy to prepare and store. You can even let the finished dough rest in the refrigerator for several days.
• If the shortcrust pastry is too crumbly, knead in a little bit of cold water. That makes it pliable. But don't overdo it, otherwise it will be too liquid.
• I always like to let the quark drain in a colander for a good 10 minutes but if you cannot find quark, use drained Greek yogurt.