BEST German Quark Stollen Recipe

Here’s the BEST recipe for German Quark Stollen with marzipan. This version is made with quark and baking powder instead of yeast, making it the perfect last-minute Stollen for Christmas since it doesn’t require any resting time.

In most German households, including my in-laws’, no Christmas is complete without Stollen. There are different Stollen variations, some with yeast and others without, loaded with nuts, candied fruits, and raisins.

This quick version of German Christmas cake, with just the right amount of sweetness, is highly adaptable, uncomplicated, inexpensive, and wonderfully moist.

It’s made with marzipan, raisins, quark, and baking powder, instead of yeast, and is seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom to infuse that festive flavor in no time.

It’s ready to serve and doesn’t require any “waiting time” after it has completely cooled down, unlike yeast Stollens, which often need days to steep.

That’s why I always prepare it the night before going to bed, let it cool overnight, and we enjoy it the next day, stress-free during Christmas.

Here are the ingredients used to make this recipe

• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 100 g (about 3.5 oz) marzipan
• 50 g (¼ cup/ about 1.8 oz) sugar
• 200 g (1 ⅔ cups) plain flour (all-purpose flour) plus additional 50 g (⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon/ about 1.8 oz) for dusting
• 100 g (3.5 oz) hazelnuts, or as desired (ground or chopped)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 100 g (about ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon/ 3.5 oz) butter, room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• 250 g (about 8.8 oz) quark, room temperature

*If you don’t have access to quark, you can use alternatives such as cream cheese, sour cream, or Greek yogurt. If using sour cream, use 220 g (about 7.8 oz), as it is runnier than quark.

You’ll also need

• 300 g (about 10.6 oz) raisins (or use 200 g (7.1 oz) candied fruits and 100 g (3.5 oz) raisins, depending on your preference).
• 50 ml (about 1.8 fl oz) apple juice or any fruit juice of your choice (or rum, if children won’t be consuming the Stollen), for soaking.
• 50 g (about ¼ cup/ 3.5 oz) melted butter, for brushing after baking.
• Powdered sugar, for dusting after baking.

How to Make German Christmas Cake with marzipan

Begin by pouring apple juice into the bowl with raisins and let them soak for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

If you plan to soak the raisins for only an hour, use lukewarm apple juice to expedite the soaking process.

Shortly before the raisins/candied fruits finish soaking, Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) using both upper and lower heat elements. (For convection baking, set the temperature to 160°C or 320°F.).

Then, place the flour, baking powder, spices, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, mix thoroughly, and set it aside.

Using a sharp knife, cut the marzipan into small pieces. Alternatively, you can grate the marzipan.

• A tip: if you put the marzipan in the freezer for about 15 minutes first, it will be easier to grate, especially if you’re using homemade marzipan. Then, proceed to prepare the dough.

To make the dough, place the sugar, vanilla extract, butter, and the egg in a separate bowl and beat until creamy. Add the marzipan and quark, continuing to beat until the marzipan is well incorporated into the mixture.

Now, add the flour mixture and knead with the dough hook for about half a minute. Add the raisins and knead with the dough hook for one minute.

It’s crucial not to knead the dough for too long, as the baking powder acts as a leavening agent. Over-kneading can prevent the Stollen from rising properly.

Forming and Baking the Stollen without a Stollen Pan

Use a spatula to transfer the dough onto a floured surface, then lightly dust it with flour. Knead it gently with floured hands for about half a minute, shaping it into a round “loaf.”

Continue to dust your hands with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. The dough may be slightly sticky, but this is normal, so avoid adding extra flour to change its consistency.

Flour the work surface again and use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough into an oval shape.
Kneading and rolling on the work surface help distribute the dough evenly and eliminate air bubbles, improving the texture of the Stollen.

Fold the rolled-out dough by bringing one-third to two-thirds over to create the typical Stollen shape.
Gently lift the Stollen and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, adjusting its shape if necessary.

Some bakers in Germany use a “Stollen form” to maintain the shape during baking. If you want your Stollen to look traditional and don’t have a Stollen form, here’s a trick: take parchment paper, fold it lengthwise to check if it fits the Stollen, then staple the ends together and wrap it around the Stollen.

Bake your stollen for approximately 55 minutes. If the surface of the Stollen becomes too dark before the baking time is up, simply cover it with aluminum foil and complete the baking process.

Immediately after baking, brush with melted butter to keep it moist and prevent drying. Then generously dust with powdered sugar.

Dusting with powdered sugar provides a sweet finish and also helps protect the Stollen from moisture loss. Additionally, the Stollen benefits from a generous powdered sugar coating for an elegant appearance.

A Few Tips

• One of the features I appreciate about this Christmas quark Stollen recipe is its adaptability. For this recipe, I used only raisins because the kids don’t like candied lemon or orange peels.
• However, it works just as well with a mixture of candied orange peel, candied lemon peel, and raisins. You can also opt for candied orange and lemon peel without raisins if you prefer, as my father-in-law does.
• I soaked the raisins in apple juice, but you can use rum or amaretto instead, along with nuts if desired and available. If you’re not a fan of marzipan, you can simply omit it.
• If you choose to omit 100 g (3.5 oz) of marzipan, add approximately 50 g (¼ cup/ about 1.8 oz) of extra sugar to the dough to maintain the desired sweetness. Adjust the sugar based on personal preference.

Did you make this quark stollen recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it.