Easy German Raspberry Cake (Himbeertorte)

A slice of raspberry cake sitting on a plate.

5 from 7 votes

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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Cooling Time4

Total Time4 40

Course: Afternoon Coffee, Dessert, Kaffee und Kuchen

Cuisine: German

Keyword: Easy Raspberry Cake, German Raspberry Cake, Himbeertorte, Less Sweet Cake Recipe, Raspberry Cream Cake

Servings: slices

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Author: Sophie Sadler

Equipment

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

Metric - US Customary

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