Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Preparation. Preheat your oven to 180 °C (350°F) top/bottom heat. Prepare a springform pan (approx. 24-26 cm diameter) and grease it well.
- Step 2: The Light Dough. In a large bowl, cream the soft butter with sugar and vanilla sugar until smooth and creamy. This takes a few minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating each egg for about 1 minute before adding the next. Then stir in 2 tbsp of the milk.
- Step 3: Add Flour Mixture. In a separate bowl, mix the flour with baking powder and salt. Gently fold these dry ingredients into the butter-egg mixture. Mix only until just combined; do not overmix, or the dough will become tough. Pour about half of the dough into your prepared springform pan and spread it evenly.
- Step 4: The Dark Dough. Add the cocoa powder and the remaining 2 tbsp of milk to the remaining dough half. Mix briefly until a chocolate dough forms. Carefully spread this dark dough over the light dough in the pan.
- Step 5: Add Cherries & Bake. Drain the cherries well. Crucially, catch the juice! You will need it for the glaze. Distribute the well-drained cherries evenly over the dough. Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake the base for about 30 minutes. Test if it's done with a skewer. Remove the base from the oven and let it cool completely, preferably on a wire rack.
- Step 6: The Creamy Filling. While the base cools, prepare the delicious quark cream. In a bowl, stir the quark with the sugar until smooth. In another bowl, whip the heavy cream with the 2 packets of cream stabilizer until stiff. Gently fold the whipped cream into the quark – do not stir too vigorously, or the cream will collapse.
- Step 7: Layer & Chill. When the cake base is completely cold, ideally place it on the cake plate you intend to serve it on. Place a cake ring around it. Spread the quark cream evenly over the base and smooth the top. Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes so the cream can firm up.
- Step 8: The Red Glaze. Finally, add the shiny red cherry glaze! Use the collected cherry juice (you need 250 ml) and prepare the red cake glaze according to the packet instructions, using your cherry juice and the 3 tbsp sugar instead of water or plain juice. Stir well and bring briefly to a boil, then remove from the heat. Let the glaze cool slightly, but not set! It should still be pourable but no longer boiling hot (otherwise, it will melt the cream). Carefully pour the slightly cooled glaze over the chilled cream layer and spread it quickly. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour, preferably longer (or overnight), so the glaze and cream can fully set.
Notes
Variations: You can use other fruits like raspberries, mixed red berries, or well-drained canned mandarins. Use the juice from the respective fruit for the glaze. Add a splash of lemon juice, grated lemon zest, or vanilla extract to the quark cream for a fresh note. A handful of chocolate chips in the dough makes it even more moist. Decorate the cake with whipped cream swirls, fresh cherries, or grated chocolate before serving.
Tips for Success: Drain the cherries very well to prevent a soggy base. Do not pour boiling hot glaze onto the cold cream; let it cool slightly until it starts to thicken but is still pourable. Each chilling phase is important for the cake to set. Don't overmix, especially when folding in dry ingredients or whipped cream. You can bake the cake base a day ahead to save time.
Storage: Cover the cake well (e.g., with plastic wrap or a cake cover) and store it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 2-3 days.
FAQs: Yes, you can use frozen cherries; thaw them completely first and drain them VERY well, catching the juice. Cream stabilizer helps the cream stay stable, especially in warmer temperatures; without it, the cream might be a bit softer. Low-fat quark is possible, but the cream will be less creamy and rich than with full-fat quark. If the glaze doesn't set, it might be due to too much liquid or not boiling long enough; follow packet instructions closely and maybe use slightly less juice next time.