German gooseberry cake with vanilla cream and crumble

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 plum cake with yeast base
• Apple crumble cake
• Apple crumb sheet cake
• Easy pear cake

Did you make this German gooseberry cake recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a comment and add rating to it.