German Strawberry Cake – Erdbeerkuchen🍓

Bake the Sponge Cake:

1/ Line the bottom and sides of a 24×24 cm square pan with parchment paper (optional).

2/ In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar for 5–6 minutes until the mixture becomes pale and thick.

3/ Sift in the cake flour and baking powder, and gently fold to combine.

4/ Add the milk and melted butter, stir lightly, and pour the batter into the prepared pan.

5/ Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for 25–30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 1.5 hours.

Make the Vanilla Pudding:

6/ In a small saucepan, combine half of the milk (200ml), the sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla sugar. Mix well and heat over medium heat.

7/ Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining cold milk. Once the saucepan is warm, add the cornstarch mixture.

8/ Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Just before it comes to a boil, remove from heat.

9/ Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and let it cool at room temperature.

Add the Strawberries and Pudding:

10/ Wash the strawberries, remove the stems, and cut into 1 cm cubes.

11/ Spread the cooled pudding evenly over the sponge cake, then top with the diced strawberries.

Make and Pour the Jelly:

12/ In a saucepan, mix the Tortenguss powder with the white sugar, water, and lemon juice.

13/ Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just before it begins to boil. Remove from heat.

14/ Quickly spoon the hot jelly over the strawberries before it begins to set.

Chill and Serve:

15/ Refrigerate the cake for at least 1–2 hours. Cut into squares while still in the pan, then serve.

🌟Make Erdbeerkuchen Your Way🌟 

⭐️ Cream it Your Way: Traditional Erdbeerkuchen is made with vanilla pudding, but you can swap it for whipped cream, mascarpone, or quark. For a lighter touch, try a mix of whipped cream and yogurt. It’s fresh and airy.🍰

⭐️ A Little Timing Tip: Start making the pudding about 30 minutes after baking the sponge. That way, both layers cool just right - no pudding skin, no soggy sponge. It takes a bit of planning, but the result is so satisfying! 😊

⭐️ No Tortenguss? No Problem: Can’t find Tortenguss? Just simmer gelatin with fruit juice (or water), sugar, and lemon juice, then let it cool slightly before pouring.

⭐️ Short on Time?: In Germany, you’ll often find pre-made sponge bases (Fertigboden) at supermarkets. They’re great for saving time! Since they tend to be a bit sweet, pairing them with a light or less sweet cream helps keep the balance just right.

⭐️ Enjoy the Seasons: In strawberry season, I often find myself drawn to this shiny, jelly-topped cake. It's hard to resist😅! But one of the lovely things about this German-style cake is how you can change the fruit with the seasons. Raspberries, cherries, blueberries, plums... whatever is in season works beautifully. With its glossy finish and colorful toppings, this cake lets you enjoy not just the taste, but the feeling of each season🩷

⭐️Curious more about strawberry season in Germany?: I’ve shared the story behind this traditional cake and what makes German strawberries so special in my blog:
👉 Strawberry Season in German🍓 A Sweet Taste of Spring