This German gooseberry cake with crumble is easy to follow, a bit tart and not too sweet. Made up of a cake base, filled with fresh gooseberries and vanilla cream and finished off with crumble that’s flavored with vanilla. A must have recipe for gooseberry lovers!!
Gooseberry cake, anyone? My parents in law have lots of gooseberry bushes in their garden.
This week they gladly gave me some to make this German gooseberry cake recipe that was handed down to me from my mum in law, Beate. The first time I watched Beate making this kind of cakes, I was very impressed how easy it was to make, yet the result was outstanding.
This gooseberry cake
- is easy to make though it takes a bit more time to prepare- But the result is worth it.
- tastes and smells delicious.
- has a perfect balance between sugar and berries.
This recipe goes well with rhubarb, currant, cherries, blueberries and apples as well. Now hurry and try this gooseberry cake before the gooseberry season is over.
What you’ll need to make gooseberry cake with vanilla cream and crumble
For the cake base
- 180 g (1 ½ cups/ 6.3 oz) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 2 medium eggs
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) butter, soft
- 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
- 60 g (about 1/3 cup/ 2.1 oz) sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
* Vanilla: The cake base calls for vanilla sugar, but feel free to use about 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Just add 2 teaspoons more regular sugar if you’re using the extract.
For the vanilla cream
- 250 ml (1 cup/ 8 ½ fl. oz) milk
- 40 g (⅓ cup/ 1.4 oz) corn flour (cornstarch)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 200 g (7.1 oz) sour cream
* Vanilla: This vanilla cream calls for 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar, but feel free to use about 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Just add 1 teaspoon more regular sugar if you’re using the extract.
For the streusel (crumble)
- 250 g (2 cups + 1 tablespoon/ 8.8 oz) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
- 175 g (about ¾ cup/ 6.2 oz) butter
- 100 g (½ cup/ 3 ½ oz) sugar
- 550 g (1.2 lbs) gooseberries, washed and stems and brown appendage removed
* Vanilla: Feel free to use about 1 teaspoon vanilla extract instead of vanilla sugar to make the streusel. Just add 2 tablespoons more regular sugar if you’re using the extract.
How to make gooseberry cake with crumble topping
Make the batter
Combine the flour, butter, sugar and eggs in a bowl and beat with a whisk until you have a smooth dough.
Transfer the batter to a 26 cm(10 inch) spring-form (or cake tin with removable base) lined with a parchment paper at the bottom and greased on the side. Smooth with a spoon or spatula and set aside.
How to make the crumble for the streusel cake
In the same bowl that you’ve used to make the cake base combine sugar, butter and flour. Using your hands mix all the ingredients together until small crumbles start to form. Set aside as well.
Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (356 °F), with both top and bottom heat.
How to make the cream for the filling
Now in a small pot combine milk, sugar and cornstarch (corn flour). Keep stirring constantly until it starts to bubble and has thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
In the meantime scatter gooseberries over the base.
Then add sour cream to the cream that you previously made and mix very well.
Spread the vanilla cream on top of the gooseberries
and sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the crumbles are lightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool for few minutes. Serve it with whipped cream and enjoy!
More fruit cakes
German gooseberry cake with vanilla cream and crumble
Equipment
- 26 cm(10 inch) spring-form (or cake tin with removable base)
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
- Spatula/ spoon
- Small pot or saucepan
- Bowl
Ingredients
For the cake base
- 180 g (1 ½ cups/ 6.3 oz) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 2 medium eggs
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) butter soft
- 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
- 60 g (about 1/3 cup/ 2.1 oz) sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
For the vanilla cream
- 250 ml (1 cup/ 8 ½ fl. oz) milk
- 40 (⅓ cup/ 1.4 oz) corn flour cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 200 g (7.1 oz) sour cream
For the streusel (crumble)
- 250 g (2 cups + 1 tablespoon/ 8.8 oz) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
- 175 g (about ¾ cup/ 6.2 oz) butter soft
- 100 g (½ cup/ 3 ½ oz) sugar
You'll also need
- 550 g (1.2 lbs) gooseberries washed and stems and brown appendage removed
Instructions
- Combine the flour, butter, sugar and eggs in a bowl and beat with a whisk until you have a smooth dough. Transfer the batter to a 26 cm(10 inch) spring-form (or cake tin with removable base) lined with a parchment paper at the bottom and greased on the side. Smooth with a spoon or spatula and set aside.
- In the same bowl that you've used to make the cake base combine sugar, butter and flour. Using your hands mix all the ingredients together until small crumbles start to form. Set aside as well. Then preheat the oven to 180 ° C (356 °F), with both top and bottom heat.
- Now in a small pot combine milk, sugar and cornstarch (corn flour). Keep stirring constantly until it starts to bubble and has thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. In the meantime scatter gooseberries over the base. Add sour cream to the cream that you previously made and whisk. Spread the vanilla cream on top of the gooseberries and sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top and bake for 45 minutes or until the crumbles are lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for few minutes. Serve it with whipped cream and enjoy!
Did you make this German gooseberry cake recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a comment and add rating to it.
Dana
Monday 24th of July 2023
Made this for a birthday cake and it was great! Thank you for sharing 💕
Ester
Tuesday 25th of July 2023
Thank you so much for your comment, Dana! I'm thrilled to hear that you made the German gooseberry cake for a birthday celebration, and it turned out to be a hit! 💕 It means a lot to me that you enjoyed the recipe and found it perfect for such a special occasion.
Renee
Sunday 23rd of July 2023
Made this delectable four layer cake, weighing out ingredients on a scale. Nice to see a recipe for gooseberries, as l had so many in my garden. I used 14% bf sour cream but l will make it again and substitute Greek Yogurt to make it healthier. Lovely on it's own as it doesn't need whipping cream. It sets well once refrigerated.
Ester
Tuesday 25th of July 2023
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment, Renee! I'm absolutely thrilled that you tried my gooseberry cake recipe and that it turned out to be a hit!
It's fantastic to hear that you, like me, prefer using a scale when baking. It really helps ensure precise measurements and consistent results, doesn't it? Safety and accuracy in baking are always essential, and using a scale certainly helps achieve that.
I'm delighted to know that the recipe allowed you to make the most of your homegrown gooseberries. There's something truly special about using fresh, homegrown ingredients—it adds an extra level of love to the dish.
Substituting 14% bf sour cream with Greek Yogurt is a great idea, and I'm glad it worked well for you. It's always wonderful to find healthier alternatives that don't compromise on taste.
Chris
Wednesday 19th of July 2023
Thank you for this brilliant recipe. I just made it and it is delicious!
Ester
Tuesday 25th of July 2023
I'm thrilled you enjoyed the cake, Chris! Thank you for trying out the recipe and sharing your lovely feedback! 😊
Alison
Sunday 9th of July 2023
This is an absolutely delicious cake. Not too sweet, which suits us. It's straightforward to make - the recipe is very easy to follow. My one recommendation is to leave it in the tin to cool completely as, when I made it, the cream was still runny. Once cooled, I put it in the fridge and it set perfectly. A real treat.
Ester
Tuesday 25th of July 2023
Thank you for wonderful comment, Alison! I'm glad to hear that you found it absolutely delicious and that the balanced sweetness was just right for your taste. I'm also pleased that the recipe was straightforward and easy to follow, making the baking process enjoyable.
Liz
Friday 7th of July 2023
I’m really looking my forward to making this. Just waiting to collect enough berries from the garden. I wanted to know how many cups of gooseberries instead of pounds. 1.2 pounds sounds like an awful lot of gooseberries. Looking forward to your reply.
Ester
Tuesday 25th of July 2023
Thank you for your comment and interest in making the gooseberry cake, Liz! I'm glad to hear that you're excited to try it out once you've collected enough berries from your garden.
Regarding the gooseberry amount in the recipe, 1.2 pounds is indeed the correct measurement. However, feel free to adjust it to your liking if you prefer. As an alternative, you can use approximately 0.77 lbs or any amount that suits your preference. If you prefer to measure in cups, 1.2 pounds of gooseberries is roughly equivalent to around 3 cups.
I hope you have a wonderful baking experience and enjoy the cake with your freshly picked gooseberries!
Best regards, Ester