German Strawberry Cake (Erdbeerkuchen)

Name: German Strawberry Cake (Erdbeerkuchen)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 3 large eggs (at room temperature); 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional); 1 cup all-purpose flour; 3/4 teaspoon baking powder; cornstarch (alternatively whipping cream stabilizer); 20 ounces strawberries (approximately); 1 pouch red cake glaze; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 cup water (alternatively red fruit juice)

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Here’s A German Strawberry Cake Recipe to Bring Back Memories!

If you’re looking for a delicious way to celebrate the strawberry season, you’ll have to try this classic German strawberry cake.

Known as Erdbeerkuchen or Erdbeerboden in German, this cake has a light and fluffy base topped with fresh and juicy strawberries, which are covered in a red glaze for that authentic look.

Enjoy it on its own, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

slice of red strawberry cake on plates with forks and berries beside. — One slice of German Strawberry Cake – coming right up!

Erdbeerkuchen has been a seasonal staple in Lisa’s family for as long as she can remember. Not only is it quick to make, but it’s also perfect for the summer since it’s so light and fruity.

Ingredients

To make this delicious creation, here are the German strawberry cake ingredients that you will need:

Eggs – Large eggs, at room temperature.
Granulated sugar – To make the cake base.
Vanilla extract – Optional for added flavor.
All-purpose flour – To make the cake base.
Baking powder – Helps the cake base get light and fluffy. Make sure your baking powder has not expired.
Cornstarch – Alternatively whipping cream stabilizer; to prevent the cake base from getting soggy.
Strawberries – Fresh, ripe strawberries.
Red cake glaze – We use Dr. Oetker Red Cake Glaze. Alternatively, you can make your own.
Granulated sugar – For the glaze.
Water – For the glaze. Alternatively, use red fruit juice.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Before you make this Erdbeerkuchen recipe, have a read through these recipe tips and tricks so that you know what to expect when you bake:

Use fresh and ripe strawberries for the best flavor and sweetness.
The cake base is typically made in a special type of pan called “Obstkuchenform” in German. If you don’t have one, you can use a regular 11-inch tart pan (which I have done here) or a springform pan.
Beat the egg and the sugar long enough until very pale and creamy. This makes the cake nice and fluffy.
You can also make a “Rührteig” for the cake base instead of the “Biskuitboden” (which we use in this recipe). Rührteig contains butter and is typically a little bit denser than Biskuit.
If you like, you can add a layer of vanilla pudding under the strawberries for a popular twist on this classic cake.
Sprinkle whipping cream stabilizer or cornstarch on the cake base before placing the strawberries on top. This will keep the cake from getting soggy.
For a little extra sweetness, use red fruit juice instead of water when preparing the cake glaze.
If you can’t find the red cake glaze in the store, you can also use clear glaze or make your own.

How to Make German Strawberry Cake – Step by Step Instructions

In this section, we’ll show you exactly how to make this German strawberry cake. We’ve included all the recipe process photos so that you can follow along for comparison purposes!

Of course, the recipe card with all the instructions and details can be found at the bottom of this post!

round silver cake pan coated in butter on counter top. — You can lightly grease and flour your pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease and flour your 11-inch baking pan.

This is optional, and some people don’t grease their pans for this type of cake base since it might not rise as much.

But if you’re concerned about getting the cake out of the pan after baking, it might be a good idea to lightly grease and flour the pan.

As mentioned above, ideally you use an Obstkuchenform, but I’m just using a regular tart pan since that was all I had available at the time.

mixing bowl with eggs and sugar being blended by electric mixer with other bowl of sugar above. — Beat the eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer (using regular beaters) until creamy and very light in color, about 8 minutes.

pale batter in white mixing bowl in counter. — See how light the mixture has become?

Mixing the eggs and sugar well is important because it helps the cake get its fluffy consistency.

dry ingredients with silver spoon in grey bowl on counter. — Combine flour and baking powder.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.

some flour on top of wet cake batter in larger mixing bowl with spatula. — Sift in the flour mixture.

Sift the flour mixture into the bowl with the egg mixture in small increments.

white spatula folding cake batter into large mixing bowl on counter. — Fold in with a spatula.

Gently fold in with a spatula (don’t use the mixer!). Stop when just combined. Overmixing can make the cake denser (which we don’t want).

raw cake batter in round silver cake pan sitting on counter. — Pour the batter into the pan.

Spread the batter in the baking pan and smooth the top. Bake on the middle rack of the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The exact cooking time can vary depending on your oven and the exact baking pan you use.

baked cake in silver pan sitting on cooling rack on counter. — Allow the cake to cool.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool slightly on a wire rack.

round bake flat cake flipped onto parchment paper on counter. — Remove the cake base from the baking pan.

Then remove it from the pan and invert it (depending on the pan) onto the wire rack or serving plate to cool completely.

fresh strawberries rinsed in silver colander on counter. — Wash and dry the strawberries.

Rinse and dry the strawberries. Remove the tops and cut them in half.

halved strawberries placed in a ring on flat cake bottom. — Sprinkle the cake base with cornstarch.

Next, sprinkle some cornstarch or whipping cream stabilizer over the cooled cake base to keep it from getting soggy.

In Germany, I usually use whipping cream stabilizer, but in North America, it can sometimes be hard to find in regular supermarkets, and cornstarch works just as well.

flat cake bottom covered in strawberries placed in rings sitting on parchment paper. — Place the sliced strawberries on top.

Arrange the strawberry halves on top of the cake in a circular pattern, with the cut sides facing down. Of course, you can arrange them differently as well.

red glaze prepared in silver pot with silver spoon sticking out. — Prepare the glaze.

Make the red glaze according to the package directions. If you want the cake to have a slightly sweeter taste overall, you can use red fruit juice instead of water.

Then spoon the glaze evenly over the strawberries, covering them with a thin layer of glaze.

slice of german strawberry cake with dollop of whipping cream on top. — Enjoy this delicious piece of strawberry cake.

Allow the cake to cool until the glaze has set, then serve it with whipped cream (or vanilla ice cream) if desired. Enjoy!

Storage Tips

This strawberry cake definitely tastes best when it is fresh, so we would not recommend making it ahead of time (maximum one day before).

Since you’re using fresh strawberries, it’s best to store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. You can store it at room temperature for a few hours, though. Consume the leftovers within 2-3 days.

Also, keep in mind that the cake base may get slightly soggy over time.

FAQ

Here’s an answer to a common question about this German cake:

How to make German strawberry cake?

Combine the eggs, vanilla, and sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. Combine the dry ingredients, then gently fold them into the wet batter until well combined. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-20 minutes. Remove the cake, let it cool, then flip it over. Dust with cornstarch, halve and arrange the strawberries, then make the glaze and pour on top. Allow to cool and serve!

Related Recipes

If you liked this recipe for strawberry cake, here are some more of our classic German cake recipes that you may enjoy as well:

2 thoughts on “German Strawberry Cake (Erdbeerkuchen)”

Barb

July 10, 2023 at 1:16 pm

This does not seem as though it was freeze well with the strawberries and glaze. But, could a person make the cakes, freeze them, and then defrost and top them with the glaze and strawberries before serving?
- Recipes From Europe
  
  July 11, 2023 at 8:40 am
  
  You’re right Barb, I wouldn’t freeze the cake with the strawberries and frosting. It’s theoretically possible, but the flavor wouldn’t be great. However, you can definitely freeze the cake base as you mentioned. Just make sure you let it cool completely after baking and wrap it really well. And I probably wouldn’t freeze it for more than a month or two. Hope that helps! /Lisa