German Cheesecake with Apricots Recipe
This is my version of the super viral German apricot cake my uncle Axel made! I made mine with a buttery bottom crust, creamy lemon German cheesecake filling, rows of golden apricots, and a glossy apricot glaze to finish. This cake is fresh, fruity and a bit tangy, and perfect for Kaffee und Kuchen!
Servings: 24 slices
Calories: 320kcal
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with paddle and whisk attachments
- 1 Cake Pan (13x18-inch / 33x46 cm) Linking the exact one I used here.
- 1 Parchment Paper For lining the cake pan
- 1 Mini Whisk I love this little guy for whisking together small amounts starch with water like you will for the glaze.
- 1 small rolling pin It's useful for rolling out the dough inside the cake pan. You can also use your hands to press it into shape.
Ingredients
Bottom Layer Dough
- 170 grams butter room temperature
- 100 grams sugar
- 2 eggs size US large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 350 grams all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Cheesecake Layer
- 500 grams cream cheese full-fat
- 170 grams sugar
- 4 eggs size US large
- 500 grams sour cream full-fat
- 40 grams cornstarch
- 1 lemon organic, zest and juice
Apricot Layer
- 1275 grams apricots total net weight, reserve juice for glaze
Apricot Glaze
- 300 milliliters reserved apricot juice supplement with water if needed
- 12 grams potato starch
Instructions
Make the Bottom Layer Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) on the conventional setting (not convection).
- Using the bowl of your stand mixer and a paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and the butter for one minute. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix on low speed until smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate it while the oven preheats.
- Line your cake pan with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 4 portions and place one portion into each corner of the prepared pan. Press or roll the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan. There is no need to press the dough up the sides of the pan. Poke the dough all over with a fork.
- Par-bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven for the next step.
Make the Cheesecake Layer
- In the meantime, make the cheesecake layer. Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, sour cream, cornstarch, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the par-baked crust and spread it out evenly using a rubber spatula.
- Drain the apricots, reserving the juice for the glaze. Arrange the apricot halves rounded side up on top of the cheesecake filling in neat rows.
- Bake the cake for a total of 1 hour. Cover the cake with aluminum foil for the last 30 minutes of baking to prevent the top from browning too much.
Make the Apricot Glaze
- As soon as the cake is out of the oven, make the glaze. Measure the reserved apricot juice. If you do not have 300 milliliters (10 ounces) total, add enough water to reach 300 milliliters (10 ounces).
- Whisk 100 milliliters (3 ounces) of the juice with the potato starch until smooth.
- Bring the remaining juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk in the potato starch mixture and bring it back to a boil. Boil while whisking for 30 seconds, or until thickened and glossy.
- Pour the glaze over the baked cake and spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Allow the cake to chill for at least 2 hours before slicing into 24 pieces (6 rows of 4 slices each) and serving.
Notes
- If the dough feels sticky, lightly dampen your hands with water or use a small rolling pin to help spread it.
- Let the cake cool before slicing so the cheesecake layer and glaze can set. Otherwise the glaze may end up having a slimy consistency. And believe me, that is not sexy.
- It's best to use potato starch for the glaze, as it has a clearer consistency when cooked. If you're in a pinch and can't find it, cornstarch works well, but will give you a cloudier look.
- Store leftover German apricot cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because of the cheesecake layer, this cake should stay chilled when not being served. You can also freeze slices for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the slices in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1845IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg