Raspberry Streusel Cheesecake Recipe- Himbeer Käse Streuselkuchen

 After tasting an amazing Himbeer Käse Streuselkuchen in Berlin, I spent three years working on the exact recipe for this German Raspberry Cheesecake with Streusel Recipe. (Not continuously). For a while, I felt like Captain Ahab, certain that White Whale could be found in fresh berries and streusel. Why did it take so long? Well, I certainly wasn’t baking this cake daily, and I felt like it was unfair to post a recipe that required so much Quark here in the US. (Not to mention the absurd amount of math required to convert a recipe from grams to cups, and then recalculate everything for a different pan size.)

Then I had a cream cheese breakthrough. Curtains parted, veil lifted… and is that whale song I hear???

My family and the neighborhood college kids who sometimes act as my “food tasters”, assure me that the cake ticks all the boxes. Crunchy Streusel tops tart raspberries (or other berries) nestled in a creamy cheesecake layer, all served on a simple almond cake base. Originally I focused on raspberries, but lately, I’ve added a berry mix (from the freezer). You can use fresh, or a combination of fresh and frozen.

Best of all, even with all the layers, baking the cake isn’t complicated. I will say that having a food processor is a huge help to get the cheesecake part blended smoothly… but you should be able to manage with a simple mixer. Make each layer separately, the top and bottom both come from the same “dough”. Then put it all together and bake. Your decorating tools never need to come out of the drawer. Go crazy, and sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar over the top to make it “fancy” if you like.

The pan makes 16 slices, mor more if you cut them smaller (less if you decide not to share). You can also freeze half for later…

German Raspberry Cheesecake with Streusel Recipe- Himbeer Käse Streuselkuchen

With layers of crunchy almond flavored streusel, tart berries, and creamy cheesecake, the Raspberry Streusel Cheesecake seriously ticks all the boxes for cake lovers. 

The original recipe calls for frozen raspberries, but frozen mixed berries work too.  

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Cuisine German

Servings 16 slices

Ingredients

  

Cake Base and Streusel:

• 2 2/3 Cups Almond Flour or Ground Almonds
• 2 1/4 cups Flour
• 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Butter
• ½ teaspoon Salt

Raspberry Layer:

• 2 cups Raspberries Fresh/Frozen/ or a mix
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Sugar

Cheesecake Layer:

• 1 1/2 pounds Cream Cheese
• 5 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• Powdered Sugar to Decorate if desired

Instructions

 

• Preheat the Oven to 350°F
• Prepare a 9 x 13 inch pan with a sheet of Parchment Paper across the bottom

Base and Streusel:

• Combine the almond flour, regular flour, salt, sugar, vanilla extract, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into tablespoon sized pieces and add them one at a time to the dry mixture. I used a mixer on low speed and took it slowly. You can also cut the butter in to the dry mixture with a pastry cutter.
• All of the butter should be cut in with no lumps. It will look like slightly damp sand, and clump when you squeeze it with your fist.
• Put the mixture into the refrigerator to cool while you work on the other steps.

Raspberry layer:

• Put ¾ of the berries into a medium saucepan with ¼ cup water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and ½ cup sugar. Stir all together.
• Heat the mixture over medium heat while stirring. The berries will break down a bit. Bring just to a boil. Stir for another minute, then remove from the heat.
• Add the rest of the berries, stir in, and leave the berry sauce to cool a bit.

Cheesecake Layer:

• Combine the cream cheese, eggs, heavy cream, flour, and sugar… blend or puree until smooth. This is easiest in a food processor, but I think you can do it in a regular mixer.
• It should be completely smooth! Check for lumps (the cream cheese likes to leave a hidden lump)

Assemble the Cake:

• Take the base/streusel mix from the refrigerator. Put HALF into the prepared 9x13 pan. Press it in so that you have an even layer.
• Pour the cheesecake layer over the base. Spread it smooth across the base, all the way to the edges
• Use a spoon to ladle the berry mixture as evenly as possible across the cheesecake layer. Don’t just dump it on… go slowly. It won’t look even, that’s ok.
• To top the cake with the rest of the streusel mixture, grab a handful from the bowl, give it a squeeze, then sprinkle it over the cake. Repeat until all of the mixture is used, and the cake is evenly covered in Streusel. You want some “bigger” lumps, and smaller lumps.
• Bake the cake for 45 minutes.
• Touch it. If it still feels wobbly in the center, bake another 5 minutes.
• Let the cake cool on a rack completely.

Notes

My favorite way to make this is with frozen raspberries, and then I add a large handful (or a cup) of fresh raspberries to the pot after the heat has been turned off. I feel like it adds a tart freshness.

Most recently I used a combination of Frozen Raspberries/Blueberries/Strawberries. Honestly, it was less expensive than straight raspberries, and it tasted quite delicious. 

Play with fruit combinations. If you can get gooseberries or red currents, let me know how it works. They are virtually impossible to find in my corner of the world.

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Raspberry Streusel Cheesecake Step by Step

(this version uses strawberries/raspberries/blueberries)

The cake base and streusel are made from the same “dough”.
Cut the butter into the flour/ almond / sugar until it looks like damp sand… refrigerate.

Cook the raspberries with sugar and cornstarch until it comes to a boil, stir for another minute, then remove from the heat. 
You can add extra fresh raspberries at this point if you like. Set aside to cool a bit. (It doesn’t have to be cold to use)

In a food processor (or mixer) combine the cream cheese / eggs /cream /sugar until smooth. 
It will be pourable. 

Assemble the Cake

Press HALF of the Almond Base crumbs into the bottom of a pan. 
I like to lay a sheet of parchment into the pan first with the excess hanging over the sides. It helps to get the cake out.

Pour the cheesecake filling evenly over the base

Carefully Spoon the Raspberry (or other berry) filling over the cheesecake filling.
If you just pour it, it will be blobby and sink. Spoon it evenly. It may still look a bit blobby… but that’s ok

Top the raspberries with Streusel. 
Best way is to grab a fist full of the streusel, and crumble it out through your fingers.
Some crumbs will be bigger than others (all the better for snitching off the cake when it comes out of the oven)

Ready for Baking!

Bake 45 minutes
The cake shouldn’t wiggle much when you shake it. There will be some “looseness”.
(Unfortunately, the toothpick method to check doneness doesn’t work with this one.)

Let cool… slice and enjoy. Add a Schlag of whipped cream or sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like

(with Raspberries and Blueberries)