Light and fluffy German cheesecake called Käsekuchen is flavored with lemon and vanilla for the perfect dessert. Baked without a water bath, this easy cheesecake is made with quark or ricotta and whipped egg whites for the fluffiest texture you've ever dreamed of!
New York cheesecake is my grandpa's favorite dessert, so I love experimenting with new variations and recipes. But sometimes, you just need to go back to the tried-and-true classics. This easy German cheesecake is just that - a classic.
My mom gave me Dr. Oetker’s German Baking Today cookbook, which inspired me to bake my own version of beloved Käsekuchen. Plus one of the best parts about baking a German cheesecake is that it doesn’t need a water bath!
This was inspired by my other German cake & cheesecake recipes. I love making cheesecake in the summer, since it's served chilled as a refreshing dessert. For delicious summer dinners to serve with your Käsekuchen, I'd recommend roasted carrot galette and stuffed zucchini boats.
Growing up in Germany, I got used to the light and airy texture of Käsekuchen, which translates to "cheese cake" in English. It's flavored with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for a bright pop of citrus.
American vs. German Cheesecake
German style cheesecake is much lighter than dense American cheesecake. This fluffy texture is made possible by using quark and whipped egg whites, which is different from American cheesecake made with cream cheese and whole eggs.
And while American cheesecakes often use a graham cracker crust or some other type of crushed cookie, German cheesecake is made with a tender shortcrust pastry instead.
In fact, I sometimes prefer the flavor and airiness of German cheesecakes, which is why I use it as the base recipe in my epic birthday cake cheesecake!
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla sugar - or substitute granulated sugar with vanilla extract
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs
- All purpose flour
- Quark - or substitute ricotta or blended cottage cheese.
- Cornstarch
- Lemon juice and lemon zest
- Plain Greek yogurt
What is Quark?
Quark is a staple in German cuisine. It’s a cross between yogurt and cheese, since it’s made from soft cheese that hasn’t been aged. It has a texture similar to ricotta, strained Greek yogurt, or labneh.
In the U.S., you can find sometimes quark in specialty and international stores. Or check out your local European or German market if you are lucky to have one nearby. Unfortunately, I drove to seven different grocery stores and couldn't find any quark, so I ended up substituting ricotta.
Quark is great in bakes like cheesecake and other desserts. But you can also spread it onto bread or mix it with fresh fruit and granola. It tastes great with breakfast, as a snack, or in creamy desserts like this authentic German cheesecake.
How to Make this Recipe
Below is the process to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Beat the softened butter until it’s pale smooth and creamy.
2. Add the vanilla sugar, baking powder, and salt & mix until it’s smooth and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and beat again until it’s incorporated, after 1 minute.
5. Press the dough in an even layer in a greased 9-inch springform pan. Poke the dough a dozen times with a fork.
7. Mix the quark or ricotta, cornstarch, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest until it’s creamy.
9. Add the Greek yogurt and mix again until it’s well combined.
11. Gently gold the whipped egg whites into the quark mixture.
13. Bake for 70 minutes, then begin checking the cheesecake. If it's not done, bake for another 10 minutes and check it again.
4. Mix in the flour on low speed until it forms a crumbly mixture.
6. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until it’s starting to just turn golden on top. Set aside to cool.
8. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
10. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
12. Spread the cheesecake mixture into the springform pan.
14. Slowly cool the cheesecake, then refrigerate it overnight to set. Carefully remove from the springform pan, slice & enjoy!!
Carissa's Kitchen Tip
If your Käsekuchen cracks as it cools, just cover it with fresh or canned fruit, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.
No one will know, and I won't tell. 😉
Recipe Tips
- Use a springform pan to get the cheesecake out of the pan more easily, since this type of pan releases the sides from the bottom.
- In addition to greasing my springform pan, I find it helpful to also line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Make sure all your ingredients for the cheesecake are at room temperature. Set out the quark, eggs, and Greek yogurt at least 20 minutes ahead of time to warm up. This helps them whip up creamy and smooth.
- Egg whites whip up better when they're cold, so once you separate your eggs, put the egg whites in a bowl in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
- Regularly scrape the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl with a large spoon or silicone spatula to ensure everything gets mixed evenly.
- Refrigerate your baked and cooled cheesecake overnight (at least 6 hours) to set it fully. It will be a little jiggly in the center when it comes out of the oven, but it firms as it cools.
Variations
- Quark: If you can’t find quark, substitute whole milk ricotta cheese. In a pinch you could also substitute cottage cheese that’s been pureed in a blender.
- Crust: You could also make a graham cracker crust or cookie crumb crust.
- Vanilla Sugar: You can substitute vanilla sugar for the granulated sugar and vanilla extract in the cheesecake for a more authentic German flavor.
- Streusel: You can bake the cheesecake with streusel on top for Käsekuchen mit Streuseln.
- Dairy Free: Make a dairy free cheesecake by swapping the dairy items for dairy free alternatives.
- Fancy: If you're feeling up to it, use phyllo dough as the crust to make an epic baklava-inspired cheesecake.
Storage
Fridge: Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 7 days in the fridge.
Freezer: Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap then wrapped in aluminum foil for up to 6 months in the freezer.
How to Serve
Käsekuchen tastes great on its own since it has a wonderful tangy, citrus flavor.
However, you can also serve it for dessert with fresh whipped cream, fresh berries or canned berries, powdered sugar, caramel sauce, or ice cream.
Related Recipes
Looking for more delicious cake and cheesecake recipes like this? Try these:
Easy Authentic German Cheesecake (Käsekuchen)
Ingredients
Pastry Crust
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature (1 stick; ½ cup)
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla sugar or substitute granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
German Cheesecake
- 26 ounces quark (3¼ cups) or substitute ricotta
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed (from one large lemon)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (from one large lemon)
- 4 large eggs separated
- 12 ounces plain Greek yogurt (1½ cups)
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand whisk or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened stick of butter until it’s pale smooth and creamy, after 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla sugar (or granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract), baking powder, and salt. Beat again until it’s smooth and fluffy, after 1 minute.
- Add the egg and beat again until it’s incorporated, after 1 minute.
- Add the flour mix on a low speed until it forms a crumbly mixture, after 1 minute.
- Press the dough in an even layer in your greased springform pan. Poke the dough a dozen times with a fork.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until it’s golden on top. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the Cheesecake
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the quark, cornstarch, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest until it’s creamy, after 2 to 3 minutes on low speed.
- Add just the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Give the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl a few scrapes with a silicone spatula to ensure everything is well mixed.
- Add the Greek yogurt and mix again until it’s well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks (after about 8 to 10 minutes).
- Gently gold the whipped egg whites into the quark mixture.
- Spread the cheesecake mixture into the springform pan.
- Bake for 70 minutes, then begin checking the cheesecake to see if it's done. Give the pan a gentle jiggle. The cheesecake is done once only the middle is jiggly, and the outer edge is set and doesn't move. If it's still too jiggly, bake for another 10 minutes and check it again.
- Once the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven and place a wooden spoon in the oven door to keep it open just a little so the cheesecake can start cooling slowly in the oven for 1 hour.Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it continue to cool to room temperature in the pan for at least another hour or two.Loosely cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil and chill in the fridge to fully set it for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- Run a knife around the edge of the springform pan to loosen it. Release the sides of the pan. Slice and enjoy!!
Notes
- Use a springform pan to get the cheesecake out of the pan more easily, since this type of pan releases the sides from the bottom.
- Make sure all your ingredients for the cheesecake are at room temperature. Set out the quark, eggs, and Greek yogurt at least 20 minutes ahead of time to warm up. This helps them whip up creamy and smooth.
- Egg whites whip up better when they're cold, so once you separate your eggs, put the egg whites in a bowl in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
- Regularly scrape the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl with a large spoon or silicone spatula to ensure everything gets mixed evenly.
- Your cheesecake will be a little jiggly in the center when it comes out of the oven, but it firms as it cools.
- Store in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
ally b.
never heard of quark but my store actually had it this was way easier to make than another cheesecake i tried (and ruined) and the flavor was really good! planning to make it again for my mom's birthday
Gundven
sehr gut!!
Carissa Erzen
Danke!!
Lina
I love your blog! so many recipes that remind me of home <3 Thank you for sharing this
Carissa Erzen
Aww that means so much to hear! Thank you!