German Strawberry Cake

This German Strawberry Cake is bursting with fresh berries and so delicious with whipped cream! A colorful, easy summer dessert that everyone will love.

We love recipes with fresh strawberries like our Strawberry Tiramisu, Strawberry Pie, or No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake! This simple German Strawberry Cake is as delicious and so easy to make from scratch.

This cake is similar to a fruit tart and you can find it at every wedding, family get-together, or birthday party in Germany during Strawberry season. You can also get a fancier version, usually made with a layer of vanilla pudding, at any German bakery.

The base of this strawberry tart is a sponge cake that gets baked in a special tart pan. It gets topped with lots of fresh strawberries and the berries are covered with a simple red glaze. The cake base can be made ahead and frozen so when it’s time to make it, it takes less than 30 minutes to finish the cake. Perfect for surprise guests!

Why this recipe is so good

• Perfect cake to showcase fresh strawberries
• Very easy to make from scratch
• Refreshing summer dessert
• Made with simple ingridients

Ingredient Notes

Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.

• Eggs – Use large eggs for this recipe. They need to be at room temperature. I recommend putting them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes if you get them straight from the fridge.
• Oil – Any neutral-tasting oil will work. I use avocado oil but canola or sunflower oil works too. Oil makes the cake moist.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar not only adds sweetness but also keeps the cake soft.
• Flour – I use regular all-purpose flour for this cake. You could also use cake flour for this recipe, it will make the cake a bit airier.
• Strawberries – You need about 1 pound of fresh strawberries for this recipe.
• Red Glaze – This is what is used on all fruit flans in Germany, in German, it’s called Tortenguss! It’s a tasteless jello-like glaze that keeps the fruit fresh and holds it together on the cake. You can find it in the baking aisle of many grocery stores or the International Food aisle. If you can’t find it you can make your own glaze, check the instructions at the end of the post.

How to make this recipe 

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found at the bottom of the page on the printable recipe card.

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and grease an 11-inch tart pan with butter (Image 1).
2. Make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine sugar and eggs. Mix for 1 minute then add all remaining ingredients and mix for 1.5 minutes at medium-high speed (Image 2).
3. Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and clonk pan on the counter a few times to make sure no big air bubbles are in the batter (Image 3). Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean with only a few crumbs attached. Rotate pan after 10 minutes. (Image 4)
4. Cool: Let the cake cool for a few minutes before carefully removing it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (Image 5)
5. Top with Strawberries: When the cake is cool, sprinkle it lightly with whip it (optional) (Image 6) then cut off the tops of the strawberries, half them, and arrange them on top of the cake. Filling holes with smaller strawberries. (Image 7)
6. Pour Glaze over: Prepare the glaze according to package directions then spoon it over the fruit making sure everything is covered (Image 8). Let the glaze set then serve with whipped cream.

Expert Tips

• You need a special tart pan (affiliate link) for this recipe. It has a rim at the bottom that later holds the filling.
• Make sure the tart pan is greased well so the cake easily comes out of the pan after baking
• It’s important that the eggs are at room temperature so the cake gets airy and not dry. Take them out of the fridge an hour before you need them or put them in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes
• Tap the pan on the counter a few times so the big air bubbles that might be in the batter burst or you might end up with holes in the baked cake
• If big air bubbles show up during baking use a toothpick to pop them
• Instead of “whip-it” whipped cream stabilizer (affiliate link) which I use so the fruit juices don’t make the cake soggy, you can also use a light sprinkle of ground nuts or even a layer of cooked vanilla pudding. If you serve the cake within a few hours of making you can also just omit it and put the strawberries directly on top of the cake
• Make sure the strawberries are facing outside up on the cake. This gives you a better look but also keeps the fruit fresh longer
• The glaze needs to cover all the berries! I use a spoon to spoon it over the berries instead of just pouring it over the cake
• The glaze sets within a few minutes so you need to work fast
• Instead of using a glaze, you can also use apricot preserves or any lightly colored jelly. Heat up half a cup of the preserves or jelly just until warm, stir until it is smooth, and then brush over the berries.

Recipe FAQs

What to serve with German Strawberry Cake

Fruit tarts (or flans in the UK) like this strawberry tart are always served with whipped cream! Check out my recipe for homemade whipped cream it’s so easy to make from scratch and tastes so delicious. It’s a standard side to serve with cakes in Germany.

Leftovers

Leftover cake should be stored covered with plastic wrap or in a cake container in the fridge. It will keep fresh for up to 3 days.

Homemade Glaze for Fruit Tarts

You might wonder what to do if you can’t find the red glaze this recipe calls for. There are two options, you can use apricot preserves or jelly to brush the fruit with or you can make your own glaze to top this cake or other fruit-topped cakes with.

You need 1 Tbsp potato starch (cornstarch works too but the glaze will be more opaque and not clear), 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1 cup red juice of your choice. In a small bowl whisk together potato starch, sugar, and a few tablespoons of juice until smooth.

Then bring the remaining juice to a boil and slowly pour in the starch mixture while whisking constantly. Let simmer for 30-60 seconds then spoon immediately over the fruit.

More German cake recipes to try

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