Last week another baking disaster happened in my kitchen. This time it involved the letter Q. I wanted to make a Quarkkuchen mit Mohn (curd cheese cake with poppy seeds) but it didn’t turn out the way I expected it to turn out. So let’s move on to the letter R. This cake also involves quark and it turned out beautifully. Quark is a fresh curd cheese that is used as a base for German cheesecakes. It is tangier than cream cheese and has a different texture. There isn’t a vegan equivalent for it, so most people use either tofu or soy yoghurt as a base for their cheesecakes. Tofu probably is a better alternative when it comes to texture, but cheesecakes made with soy yoghurt taste better, I think.
The cake pictured here is called Russischer Zupfkuchen (Russian Pull Cake). It is a cheesecake baked in a chocolate shortbread crust and both the vegan and the non-vegan version are very popular. I have no idea why this one is called a Russian cake though. My theory is that the guys at Dr. Oetker invented this as a cake à la mode because they do that from time to time. But I am probably wrong. What I can tell you though is why it is called Zupfkuchen. You pull the pieces of shortbread dough apart and sprinke them on top of the cake. I used a cookie cutter for a prettier cake, but ripping the dough apart to form crumbs would have been more traditional.
I made the filling for this cake from scratch. For the crust I used my field-tested and delicious chocolate shortbread recipe. This crust is really easy to whip up and it tastes amazing. To bring on the food clichés: melt in your mouth chocolate explosion (ouch but truth). I used a very small pan for this cake and had some crust leftovers which I turned into cookies.
Russischer Zupfkuchen (one 15 cm or 6 inch springform pan)
For the crust:
120 g (1/2 cup) coconut oil, softened
60 g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
170 g (1 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) all-purpose flour
20 g (3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoon) cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy milk
Filling:
50 g (3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) melted, refined coconut oil
300 g (1 1/4 cups) plain soy yoghurt
60 g (1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon flour
To make the crust:
Cream together coconut oil, sugar, and starch. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Add to coconut oil mixture. Beat with a handheld mixer until the mixture turns into crumbs. This should only take one or two minutes. Add the soy milk. Use your hands to form a smooth dough. Press 1/2 -2/3 of the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan. Roll out remaining dough and cut out cookies with a small cookie cutter.
To make the filling:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend well. Pour into prepared cake pan.
Place some cookies on top of the cake. (If you have leftovers, cover them with plastic and set aside. You can bake these right after your cake is out of the oven: 180°C, 5-7 minutes.)
Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes or until the filling has set and is golden-yellowish on top. Let cool and remove from pan.
P.S. All my cheesecakes are made without cream cheese. Check the recipe index for more cheesecake recipes.
26 comments
Very excited to see how mine turns out! Thank you for this recipe!
I’m not sure if i just can’t see this but…at what heat do you bake? I see that it’s 180 for the cookies…is this for the cake as well?
Thank you!
Yes, 180°C!
Cheesecake was one of the things I missed most, actually the only thing I missed when I gave up dairy. I so have to try one of these they look divine.
And now also the vegan version of Zupfkuchen. You’re definitively killing me with this. Recipe bookmaked!
This looks fabulous! I’m really interested in trying to make this with the yogurt. I can’t wait!
The texture looks amazing! Chocolate and cheesecake is an amazing combo.
Do you know of that German cookbook series called Zwergenstübchen? They have a (non-vegan) recipe for this and it’s one of the first things I remember baking, ever! Thank you for veganising it :)
BOA. Das Foto sieht unverschämt gut aus! Ich aktiviere heute noch die innere Bäckerin, die irgendwo in mir schlummert – wird nachgebacken.
Liebstens
Frau K.
I love that this doesn’t include vegan cream cheese. I very rarely like vegan cream cheese, so this is so much more appealing.
Beautiful as always!
gosh Mihl! you have been my favorite through mofo! these cheesecake looks simple and gorgeous and nicely balances with the chocolate for me not to make it.. wowza!!! awesomeness!
My mouth is watering – really. I think this dish is served in heaven.
Please tell us what size pan you used so we can get the same results. Though I suspect you are a magic baker and none of us can really do what you do! :)
6 inch, as mentioned in the recipe instructions, next to the headline of the recipe:)
I never would have thought to use yoghurt in a cheesecake, awesome idea. definitely trying this!
Hee, I love that you mock the saying „melt in your mouth“ it’s so overused but I believe you when you say it about this cake! The idea of a choc shortbread crust has me wanting this!
It’s the crust that melts in your mouth and I agree. It is overused but what else are you gonna say if it is true?
This looks and sounds amazing! I too, am thrilled to see a more „natural“ cheesecake recipe without using vegan cream cheese. vielen Dank!
Sehr gerne:)
How gorgeous – I love cheesecake and am amazed at well this seems to set with that list of ingredients – I guess the coconut oil helps – what is the size of the pan you used – I was curious when you said it was a small one – that would suit us well too
6 inch springform pan, as mentioned in the recipe instructions :)
Cheesecake! Yum! I like the idea of making a vegan cheesecake without using a premade cream cheese. This is yet another of your recipes I’ll have to try when I get home!
A cheesecake that doesn’t call for vegan cream cheese! I love you! I just bought a yogurt maker, so this recipe has moved to the top of my list of yogurt recipes to make. You rock!
Wow, in that up close and personal picture the filling looks absolutely perfect! How do you do it, Mihl? You are such a rock star! I can’t wait to make this. I was never a huge cheesecake fan until being vegan, mainly because, making my own, I realized I could always put it in a chocolate crust. So, this is my kind of recipe.
Well, thank you!
Mein Lieblingsdessert! Meine Oma hat mir dieses Rezept beigebracht, lange bevor ich vegan war. Freue mich schon es auszuprobieren!
Das freut mich sehr! Ich hoffe, es wird Dir schmecken.
Comments are closed.