Raspberry Cake with Sour Cream Vanilla Custard Filling
This raspberry cake with sour cream vanilla custard filling is a creamy German cake made with buttery shortcrust pastry, juicy raspberries, and a rich sour cream custard filling. It is the perfect easy summer cake for birthdays or any time you want a fruit cake that tastes like it came from a German bakery. You can make this German raspberry cake with fresh or frozen raspberries, so it works beautifully all year round.
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This Raspberry Cake with Sour Cream Vanilla Custard Filling is a creamy German cake made with buttery shortcrust pastry, juicy raspberries, and a smooth vanilla custard filling stirred with sour cream. It tastes like something you would buy at a German bakery, which is always the goal, ideally without having to leave the house or put on real pants.
This easy raspberry cake is perfect as a summer cake, but since it works beautifully with frozen raspberries, you can make it all year round. The filling is rich and creamy, the raspberries add a lovely tartness, and the shortcrust base gives the whole thing that proper German cake feeling. Elegant, simple, and just dangerous enough after a night in the fridge.
The original German version is called Himbeer Schmand Kuchen. Schmand is a German cultured sour cream that is thick, creamy, and slightly tangy. Since Schmand is hard to find outside Germany, I use full-fat sour cream as the closest substitute. For an even richer filling, you can replace part of the sour cream with crème fraîche.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy and fruity: The sour cream vanilla custard filling is smooth, rich, and balanced by tart raspberries.
- Perfect summer cake: Light, fresh, and pretty enough for birthdays, brunches, or Sunday coffee.
- Easy to make year-round: Frozen raspberries work beautifully, so no need to wait for raspberry season.
What Can I Use Instead of Schmand?
Schmand is a German cultured cream that is thicker and richer than many regular sour creams. It is commonly used in German cakes because it makes fillings creamy, slightly tangy, and stable after baking.
The best substitute for Schmand is:
- 800 g full-fat sour cream
For an even better texture, use:
- 600 g full-fat sour cream + 200 g crème fraîche
Avoid low-fat sour cream or yogurt for this cake. The filling needs enough fat to set properly and stay creamy. Greek yogurt can work in some recipes, but for this raspberry cake with sour cream vanilla custard filling, full-fat sour cream is the better choice.
Helpful Tips
- Use full-fat sour cream. The filling needs enough fat to set properly.
- Do not skip the chilling time. This cake tastes best after several hours in the fridge.
- Frozen raspberries work perfectly. Add them straight from the freezer.
- Bake on the lower oven rack. This helps the shortcrust base bake through.
- A slight wobble is fine. The filling will firm up as the cake cools and chills.
- Cover if needed. If the raspberries darken before the cake is done, loosely cover the pan with foil.
Storage Information
Refrigerator
Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It tastes especially good the next day, once the filling has fully set and the flavors have settled into their little cake marriage.
Freezer
You can freeze slices of this raspberry cake for up to 2 months. The filling may be slightly softer after thawing, but it will still taste delicious.
Make Ahead
This is a perfect make-ahead German cake. Bake it the day before serving and let it chill overnight.
Variations
- Mixed berry cake: Use raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
- Cherry sour cream cake: Replace the raspberries with sour cherries.
- Lemon raspberry cake: Add extra lemon zest to the filling.
- Almond crust: Replace 50 g of the flour with finely ground almonds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Schmand?
Schmand is a German cultured sour cream with a rich, thick texture and a slightly tangy flavor. It is often used in German cake fillings because it bakes into a creamy, stable texture.
What can I use instead of Schmand?
The best substitute is full-fat sour cream. For the best texture, use 600 g full-fat sour cream and 200 g crème fraîche.
Can I make this cake with frozen raspberries?
Yes. Frozen raspberries work very well in this recipe. Add them straight from the freezer and do not thaw them first.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
I do not recommend it for this recipe. Greek yogurt is usually lower in fat and can make the filling less creamy and less stable. Full-fat sour cream is the better substitute.
Why is my cake still wobbly after baking?
A slight wobble in the center is normal. The cake will continue to set as it cools and chills in the refrigerator.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes. This cake is actually better made ahead because the filling needs time to chill and set.
If you love classic German cakes, you might also like my German apricot cheesecake, my apple custard cake, or German plum cake.
Raspberry Cake with Sour Cream Vanilla Custard Filling
This raspberry cake with sour cream vanilla custard filling is a creamy German cake made with buttery shortcrust pastry, juicy raspberries, and a rich sour cream custard filling. It is the perfect easy summer cake for birthdays or any time you want a fruit cake that tastes like it came from a German bakery. You can make this German raspberry cake with fresh or frozen raspberries, so it works beautifully all year round.
Ingredients
For the Shortcrust Base
- 250 g all-purpose flour / 2 cups
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- 100 g sugar / ½ cup
- 150 g soft unsalted butter / ⅔ cup
- 1 medium egg
- Zest of 1 lemon
For the Sour Cream Vanilla Custard Filling
- 2 packets Dr Oetker vanilla pudding powder or vanilla custard powder or cornstarch / about 74 g total
- 150 g sugar / ¾ cup
- 500 ml whole milk / 2 cups
- 800 g full-fat sour cream / 3 ⅓ cupsor 600 g full-fat sour cream + 200 g crème fraîche / 2 ½ cups sour cream + ¾ cup crème fraîche*
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 1 small pinch of salt
- For the Raspberry Topping
- 400 g raspberries fresh or frozen / about 3 ⅓ cups
For Brushing
- 50 g raspberry jam / 2 ½ tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice rum, or water
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Grease a 10-inch / 26 cm springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
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Whisk the vanilla pudding powder with the sugar and a little of the milk until smooth.
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Bring the remaining milk to a boil. Whisk in the pudding mixture and cook briefly until thickened. Stir in a pinch of salt.
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Let the custard cool for about 10 minutes. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
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Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl.
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Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers until fragrant.
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Add the lemon sugar, softened butter, and egg to the flour mixture. Knead into a smooth dough.
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Roll out about two-thirds of the dough and use it to line the bottom of the springform pan.
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Use the remaining dough to form a rim around the edge. Prick the base several times with a fork.
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Stir the sour cream and vanilla into the still-warm custard until smooth.
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Spread the sour cream vanilla custard filling over the crust.
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Arrange the raspberries on top. If using frozen raspberries, add them straight from the freezer.
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Bake in the lower third of the oven for about 60 minutes. If the raspberries brown too much, loosely cover the cake with foil.
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The center may still wobble slightly when the cake comes out of the oven. That is normal. It will firm up as it cools.
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Let the cake cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator until fully set, preferably overnight.
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Warm the raspberry jam with lemon juice, rum, or water until smooth.
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Brush the raspberries with the jam glaze before serving.
