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This old-school German rhubarb quark cake mixes tangy rhubarb, smooth quark filling, and a crunchy butter crumble on top. I whip this spring treat up whenever the first rhubarb shows up at our farmers market, and let me tell you - that sweet-sour combo gets me every time.
The recipe takes me back to my first time in a German cake shop where I couldn't get enough of their quark treats. Now my kitchen smells just like those European bakeries whenever rhubarb comes in season.
Ingredients
- Butter: 200g cold from the fridge for that melt-in-your-mouth crumble feeling
- Sugar: 200g to cut through the sourness of the rhubarb just right
- Egg for dough: pulls everything together and adds a richer taste to the bottom layer
- Flour: 400g makes up both your base and those tasty crumbles
- Vanilla extract: brings a cozy flavor throughout the mixture
- Baking powder: gives a nice lift without turning it into a sponge cake
- Fresh rhubarb: the main attraction with its pretty pink color and lip-puckering kick
- Low fat quark: 500g brings that unmistakable creamy German cheesecake feel
- Greek yogurt: makes everything smoother and adds its own slight tang
- Egg for filling: sets your middle layer just the way you want it
- Sugar for filling: 150g takes the edge off both the quark and rhubarb
- Vanilla pudding mix: helps your filling stand up nice and tall
- Half lemon or lime: wakes up all the flavors and makes the rhubarb pop
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix your base:
- Throw flour and baking powder into a big bowl. Add your sugar, chunks of cold butter, vanilla, and an egg. Work it fast with your fingers until it looks crumbly. Don't mix too much or you'll lose that flaky texture. Put a third of it in the fridge for your topping. Press the rest firmly into your pan to make a flat, even bottom.
- Sort out your filling and fruit:
- Give your rhubarb a good rinse and cut off the ends. If it feels stringy, peel the outside before cutting it into little 1cm chunks. In another bowl, mix your quark, Greek yogurt, egg, sugar and vanilla pudding powder. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice and stir until it's totally smooth. It should pour slowly but not be runny.
- Put it all together:
- Pour your quark mix over the base, making sure it reaches all the corners. Scatter your rhubarb pieces on top, pushing them down a little into the cream. Grab that dough from the fridge and break it up with your fingers into different sized crumbs. Sprinkle them all over the top.
- Get it cooked:
- Stick your cake in a 180°C oven that's already hot, using heat from top and bottom. Let it bake for 30-35 minutes until the top turns golden and the middle still wiggles just a bit. Let it cool completely in the pan before you try to cut it. The middle will firm up as it sits.
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What makes this cake extra special is definitely the quark. Before moving to Germany, I'd never even heard of it, but now I can't bake proper European stuff without it. My next-door neighbor in Germany shared this with me during a garden get-together one spring, and watching everyone smile after their first bite made it a must-have at our house.
Storage Tips
This tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have mingled. Keep it covered in your fridge for up to three days. After that, the moisture from the rhubarb starts making the crumble too soft. If you want to keep it longer, wrap single slices in plastic wrap then foil and pop them in the freezer for up to two months. Just let them thaw in the fridge overnight before eating.
Rhubarb Selection and Preparation
Go for stalks that feel firm and look shiny with bright color. The younger, skinnier ones usually taste better and aren't as stringy. Always throw away the leaves since they're actually toxic. You don't need to cook the rhubarb before using it - it'll get perfectly soft while baking. If your rhubarb tastes super sour, just mix it with a spoonful of sugar before adding it to your cake.
Cultural Context
Quark cakes or "Quarkkuchen" are a big deal in German baking, especially when spring brings rhubarb to gardens all over the country. This cake sits somewhere between cheesecake and fruit cake texture-wise. People have loved this combo of creamy quark and tangy rhubarb for ages, usually enjoying it during afternoon coffee breaks or weekend "Kaffee und Kuchen" gatherings. Unlike American cheesecakes, German ones aren't as heavy or sweet.
Quark Substitutions
Can't find quark at your store? Don't worry. You can mix equal amounts of blended cottage cheese and Greek yogurt instead. Another option is using mascarpone with a squeeze of lemon juice for that tang, though it'll come out richer. In a pinch, cream cheese softened with a splash of milk works too, but the flavor will be stronger.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → What’s the best way to get the rhubarb ready?
Wash it well, peel off any stringy bits if needed, and chop into equal pieces so it bakes evenly.
- → Can low-fat quark work here?
Sure, but for a creamier result, go with full-fat quark or a mix of Greek yogurt and ricotta.
- → Why does the butter need to stay cold?
Cube the cold butter to guarantee that perfect crumbly, shortbread-like dough texture.
- → Out of vanilla pudding mix—what now?
No worries! Use cornstarch along with a splash of vanilla extract instead.
- → Is it important to cool the cake before serving?
Definitely. Let it cool completely, so the filling sets properly for clean and easy slices.