If you're looking for a light, fruity, and delicious raspberry cake, this easy German cake recipe is a must-try flavor explosion! This classic Himbeertorte layers a fluffy sponge cake, a creamy vanilla filling, and a sweet and tart raspberry topping that makes every bite taste like summer.
This authentic German raspberry cake is the perfect balance of not-too-sweet and tart, creamy and airy - just like the cakes you miss from the German cafés. Plus, it’s easy to make and perfect for any occasion, from afternoon Kaffee and Kuchen to summer celebrations. Watch me make it in this quick video!
Why You'll Love This Raspberry Cake
✔ Authentic German recipe. Just like the cakes you miss from German cafés. If this was the last slice of this cake there, my sister and I would fight over it.
✔ Quick & easy. A simple sponge cake, with a no-fuss filling, and a fresh raspberry topping.
✔ Perfect summer dessert. Light, refreshing, and best served chilled.
✔ Make-ahead friendly. Tastes even better the next day!
If you're craving a fruity, creamy, and refreshing raspberry cake, this easy German cake recipe is exactly what you need!
Ingredients
The ingredients for Himbeertorte are pretty straightforward and not hard to find.
- Eggs. Separated to create a light and fluffy sponge.
- Granulated sugar and powdered sugar. You'll use a bit of sugar in all layers, but this German cake is not too sweet, and the amounts used add just the right amount of sweetness.
- Flour, cornstarch & baking powder. The key to a soft but sturdy cake base.
- Salt. Just a pinch to enhance the flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream. Whipped until fluffy for a smooth, creamy filling.
- Sour cream. Brings creaminess, a slight tang, and richness.
- Vanilla extract. Adds a warm flavor note to the raspberry filling.
- Frozen raspberries. A fruity flavor explosion (and yes, frozen fruit is my go-to for the cake filling!)
- Gelatin powder. Helps the raspberry layer set beautifully. I like using grass-fed beef gelatin.
- Haselnuss Krokant. This optional crunchy caramelized hazelnut topping is super easy to make and the perfect nutty finishing touch to this cake.
How to make it
This light and airy German raspberry cake comes together in just a few steps.
- First, bake a fluffy sponge cake in a springform pan and when cooled, transfer it to a platter secured with a cake ring.
- Next, prepare a super simple, creamy filling using whipped cream and sour cream, which you spread between the layers. This creates a smooth and dreamy layer that works so perfectly to contrast the sweet and tart flavor of the raspberries.
- Finally, pour the raspberry topping over the cake before chilling it in the fridge to set.
- After a few hours, it's ready to slice and enjoy with a cup of coffee, so you can relive an authentic Kaffee und Kuchen moment wherever you are in the world.
I will also give you instructions for an even simpler sheet cake option in the notes with the printable recipe below.
Tips for the best raspberry cake
- Use a cake ring. This helps keep the layers even while assembling and keeps the raspberry layer from spilling.
- Don't rush it. It's important to let the raspberry topping cool to room temperature or colder before gently ladling it over the cream filling.
- Make it ahead. This cake is even better after chilling overnight!
- Decorate with a nut crunch (called Krokant in German). Krokant adds a surprising crunchy texture on the outside and a fun nutty-sweet twist that I love so much. I used hazelnut Krokant this time and it's super easy to make yourself and keeps well for about a month.
More Easy German Cake Recipes to Try
About two thirds of Germans would like to add more coffee breaks (usually accompanied by something sweet like a slice of cake) into their lives. If you love this easy German cake recipe, check out these other classic German desserts:
- Erdbeerboden (German Strawberry Cake) is a simple German fruit tart with a light sponge and fresh strawberries.
- Raspberry Käsekuchen are super easy German cheesecakes with raspberries that are baked in cute little jars.
- Kalter Hund is a no-bake German chocolate biscuit cake that’s great for summer.
- Käse-Sahne-Torte is a light German layer cake with a fluffy lemon cream filling.
- Baumkuchen (German tree cake) is a traditional German cake made of thin, golden layers baked one by one, creating beautiful tree ring-like stripes when sliced.
Easy German Raspberry Cake (Himbeertorte)
If you're looking for a light, fruity, and delicious raspberry cake, this easy German cake recipe is a must-try flavor explosion! This classic Himbeertorte layers a fluffy sponge cake, a creamy vanilla filling, and a sweet and tart raspberry topping that makes every bite taste like summer.This authentic German raspberry cake is the perfect balance of not-too-sweet and tart, creamy and airy - just like the cakes you miss from the German cafés. Plus, it’s easy to make and perfect for any occasion, from afternoon Kaffee and Kuchen to summer celebrations.
Equipment
- 1 springform 9 inches in diameter
Ingredients
Sponge Layer
- 3 eggs size US large
- 1 pinch salt
- 70 grams granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling on the linen towel
- 50 grams all-purpose flour
- 20 grams cornstarch
- 1 grams baking powder 1 Messerspitze
Raspberry Filling
- 500 grams frozen raspberries
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 7 grams gelatin powder 1 sachet
Cream Filling
- 200 milliliters heavy whipping cream
- 100 grams sour cream I use full fat, but light sour cream works as well
- 60 grams powdered sugar
- 4 grams gelatin powder I use grass-fed beef gelatin
Instructions
Sponge Cake Layer
- Preheat oven to 390° Fahrenheit/ 200° Celsius and prep a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom. Leave the ring as it is and clip it around the bottom pan.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks, placing the whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a smaller bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat until almost stiff.3 eggs, 1 pinch salt
- Add about ¾ of the sugar and continue beating until stiff.70 grams granulated sugar
- Beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until creamy.
- Mix together the flour, cornstarch and baking powder and add to the egg whites along with the egg yolk-sugar mixture, folding everything together carefully until no more dry spots and no more white streaks are visible.50 grams all-purpose flour, 20 grams cornstarch, 1 grams baking powder
- Spread the batter onto the bottom of the springform and bake for 10 minutes or until golden yellow. Cover the cake with a clean kitchen towel until cooled completely, about 1 hour. In the meantime, make your cream filling and raspberry cake filling.
Raspberry Cake Filling
- Make the raspberry filling first as it needs to cool down to room temperature before topping the cake. In a small sauce pan, combine the frozen raspberries, vanilla and sugar. Heat over medium heat until boiling and allow to boil for one minute. Then turn off the heat.500 grams frozen raspberries, 100 grams granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Whisk together ¼ cup of cold water with the gelatin powder, then add in about ¼ cup of the hot raspberries to the gelatin mix and whisk until combined. Add this mixture to the remaining hot raspberries into the pot and stir until combined.7 grams gelatin powder
- Pour into a bowl and allow to cool for 30 minutes before transferring to the fridge for another 30 minutes. In the meantime, make the cream filling.
Cream Filling
- For the cream filling, add together heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar and whip the cream until stiff peaks form.200 milliliters heavy whipping cream, 60 grams powdered sugar
- In a small sauce pan, heat a few tablespoons of the sour cream until boiling. Whisk together the gelatin powder with 2 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved. Add in the hot sour cream and whisk until combined. Whisk in with the remaining cold sour cream. Fold in with the whipped cream mixture.100 grams sour cream, 4 grams gelatin powder
Assemble
- Once the cake is cooled, carefully cut around the edge to release it from the ring. Remove the parchment paper and place it on a cake platter or a cake stand, keeping in mind that it will need to fit in your fridge. Clip the ring of your springform around the bottom cake layer OR secure a cake ring around it. A cake ring will be a safer bet as the cake may have shrunk a bit after cooling, meaning there may be a gap using your springform pan for layering.
- Spread the whipped cream sour cream mixture onto the baked cake layer. Clean the edges with a wet paper towel. Transfer to the fridge until the raspberry mixture has cooled to room temperature or slightly cooler.
- Carefully ladle the raspberry mixture over the sour cream mixture and transfer back to the fridge for 3 hours or longer to set up. If spending more than 3 hours in the fridge, cover the top with a dinner plate or plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
- Once set up, cut around the edge with a clean, straight-edge knife to release your raspberry cake from the ring. You can optionally garnish the edge with hazelnut crunch topping (Haselnuss Krokant) and/or garnish the top with some fresh raspberries. Serve cold and keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or cover or freeze the cake for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Make a raspberry sheet cake
You will need a large ½ sheet cake cake ring to clip around the cake. Double all amounts and bake the sponge on a ½ sheet pan. Cover it with parchment after baking until cool and trim the edges before clipping your cake ring around it. Proceed with the remaining steps as instructed. The sheet cake version is the more authentic family-style way to serve cake in Germany and is perfect for serving a crowd or bringing to potlucks and gatherings!Nutrition
Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 29mgPotassium: 119mgFiber: 3gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 372IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
dirndlkitchen
We shared this raspberry cake with our German friends and it was gone within 20 minutes 🙂 I hope you will love this cake as much as we do and will leave a comment if you do!
Rike Butler
Loved it! I made this for Easter and everyone really enjoyed it. I was glad it wasn't overly sweet like many Australian cakes.
dirndlkitchen
It's good to know that Australia also has a problem with cakes being overly sweet (like we do in America). It took me a few tries to get this Himbeertorte just right, so it's just sweet enough and I am so glad you love it! I hope you try many more of my German recipes! Thank you for being here! Sophie
mimi
good!!! no notes!!!
dirndlkitchen
So happy you love my German raspberry cake! It's a definite favorite in our home, too!