From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely old fashioned cake that's completely without pretense. Chances are your mother or grandmother made a cake quite similar to this one. It was codified by Better Homes and Gardens and it's been around for a while, fading in and out of fashion as eating habits change. The original recipe can be found in the no longer new, Better Homes and Gardens: New Baking Book. We used to call it "Poor Man's Cheese Cake," but it's officially called a Raspberry Kuchen. A kuchen is a cake-like dessert that has a soft dough crust and a topping of custard or cheese that contains berries or other fruits. I love this recipe for many reasons. There are no stray egg whites or yolks left to deal with when the cake is finished. What's not used in the crust is used in the custard and that appeals to my "green" instincts. The cake, which can be made without a mixer, is very easy to do and has the added advantage of being low in fat and only moderately sweet. Best of all, it can be made with fresh or frozen berries of any type. Frozen berries will produce a creamier cake because of the liquid they exude as the cake bakes. Cane berries of all sorts have come to market here in Oregon, but to tell the truth, they're not up to speed this year. Hopefully, they'll improve this week and we'll have something worth putting by. Until then, I'm relying on the stash in my freezer. I used frozen berries to make the cake today, so it's wonderfully creamy in taste and appearance. I hope those of you who are not familiar with this cake will give it a try. Here's the recipe.
Raspberry Kuchen...from the kitchen of One Perfect bite inspired by Better Homes and Gardens: New Baking Book
Ingredients:
Base
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups fresh or frozen cane berries
Filling
1-1/2 cups plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 slightly beaten egg yolks
1 slightly beaten whole egg
1-1/2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. If using frozen raspberries, thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes; drain.
2) In food processor bowl or medium mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, the first 1/2 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Add melted butter, 2 egg whites and first teaspoon vanilla. Cover; process or stir by hand until mixed.
3) Spread onto the bottom of springform pan; sprinkle with berries. Set aside.
4) For filling, place yogurt in a large mixing bowl; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour. Add remaining sugar, yolks, whole egg, zest and remaining vanilla. Mix until smooth; pour over berries.
5) Bake for about 55 minutes or until center appears set when shaken gently. Cool for 15 minutes; remove sides of pan. Cover; chill until serving time, up to 24 hours. If you are feeling brave, you can remove pan bottom. Transfer to a serving plate. Yield: 10 - 12 servings.
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Orange Yogurt Cake - One Perfect Bite
Yogurt Cheese Cake - One Perfect Bite
Greek-Style Yogurt Pie with Fruit Preserves - One Perfect Bite
German Rahm Kuchen - A Feast for the Eyes
Cheese Kuchen - Madame Chow's Kitchen
Grandma's Pear Kuchen - Jules Food
80 comments :
I do remember Kuchen - and I love the name "Poor Man's Cheesecake". You inspire me - it looks delicious!
You have me sold! An easy dessert recipe that is relatively healthy. I loved how you used yogurt...I bet Greek Yogurt would be amazing in this. I wish I could get my hands on some fresh cane berries!
I think its fabulous...gona try this
Wow! looks gorgeous and sounds delicious! I will give this a try but will substitute with other fruits since berries are hard to find here; don't even think of cane berries. Thanks for sharing:D
The look of the cake has already won me over! :)
You struck a chord, Mary when you said that our mothers might have made these.
I don't remember, my Mom ever baking. She might have but I doubt, I was present, at the time.
Maybe, that is why, I have baked with my daughters and had their friends join us.
Now, they are both grown up. One had her own catering business for a while. Both are comfortable, in the kitchen.
I think, I should make this kuchen. It strikes a chord.
I'm with you Mary - hate having to remember that there are yolks or whites left from a prior separation waiting to be used in the fridge. I invariably forget about them.
Love an old fashioned recipe and it's pretty too!
Mary, this is new to me, Thanks for sharing the story of this old fashioned cake-Kuchen. Personally I feel the old fashioned cake must tasted good since it still popular till now. I must try this out if I can find some rasberry otherwise I will replace with other type of berries.
Absolutely delicious, cake looks simply superb..
wow what a wonderful cake,love the layers ..
now look at that beauty, yum yum x
love to you my friend.
I love the old fashioned recipes too...we have very similar cakes here only we bake them with a thinner crust....there is nothing poor about this cake
Looks beautiful, and I love the vibrant pink! I've printed the recipe and can't wait to make it!!!
Lovely cake with which to showcase fresh berries! I too like it when I can use up both parts of the egg in one recipe.
Oh Mary, I've read about this recipe and it's quite a rich & flavourful kutchen. I am loving it as well. The one I made was a little plain cause I'm not planning to put in any custard. Maybe I should try one with your recipe. Sounds fabulous! Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your day.
Blessings, Kristy
I've never heard of Kuchen, it looks great! I have an 8" pan, gotta learn how to reduce recipes so they fit!
Mary...this cake appeals to me in 3 ways: my green conscious, my laziness (no beater) and lastly, but most important...my sweet tooth;o))
My 'Nonna' used to make a similar dessert...however, she never had a name for it. Now I know that it's a 'Kuchen'...how interesting to find this out when she's sadly no longer with us.
Have a fabulous day Mary.
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
Nigel loves Raspberries, he would certainly like this. Diane
This has all the requirements for a summer dessert including berries and beauty! I have some frozen raspberries that need to be used to make room for more. Thank you!
Best,
Bonnie
Mary - reading your blog is like taking a cooking class. Not only do you post dishes I've never seen, you use words I've never heard of - like kuchen. It looks delicious and thanks for the continuing education.
Having lived in the Hudson Valley for so long, kuchens are a staple here as they were in the kitchens of every farm wife and homemaker I knew. My Dad LOVES them
xoxo Pattie
Lovely! I too am a fan of not having leftover yolks or whites! I always say I'll use them and never do! This does look similar to a treat my Mom mom made...I feel like I can taste it! Thanks Mary!
Great to have a recipe that doesn't have stray eggs!
This looks like my kind of dessert . . . I love raspberries and I love these kind of desserts.
What a beautiful & mouth watering photo, Mary! Reminds me the grape kuchen a very elderly patient used to make for my very elderly hubby. She brought it to the office many a time & I have her hand written recipe someplace. I'm embarrassed to say I never made it. *blush* I will dig it out & compare it with yours...I bet they are the same. Thanks for the kick in the butt.
I like the way you added yogurt to make it less caloric... lovely dessert, Mary!
oh my, that looks sooo good!
Dear Mary I love tis, we always make kuchen here, your look lovely and delicious, blessings, gloria
Love this German twist with raspberries!-delightfully delicate indeed! Back in Moldova we have a lot of raspberry bushes and harvest them all summer long...I will pass on the recipe to my mother as well, since the only things we make of them are preserves and jams!
Oh how I love raspberries...yum!
You had me at raspberry!!! Yum, this cake looks and sounds delicious!
I'm loving this dessert Mary....I like the fact that there are no left over yolks or whites to deal with. I've bookmarked this to try soon.
Thanks and have a wonderful day!
This looks absolutely gorgeous and delicious! I love raspberries and this is really tempting me.
It looks so perfect with its astonishing colors. Great photo too.
Oh my, how delicious! I always use plums or peaches, but raspberries are a wonderful change. Lovely photo, Mary.
Looks beautiful! I will have to try this one.Thanks Mary.
mickey
I've never made Kuchen- I love the fact that it looks and sounds like cheesecake but much lighter. Must try it! Thanks for sharing :)
If I ever get married, you are making the food for my wedding!!=)
I love it gorgeous, tasty, simple
I love this type of cake, and it is perfect for summer too! Thank you Mary :-)
Love simple cakes with no pretense. This one looks perfect for summer.
Oh Mary, kuchen is pure comfort food for me. :-) Brings back such good memories of family dinners and potlucks. Beautiful. :-)
This does look like the kind of cake grandmothers whip up with their grandkids! I love treats that exude that old-school aura!
I don't think I've ever had a kuchen before and after seeing yours, i have no idea why. It looks like the perfect summer dessert. I need to track down some cane berries!
Mary I adore this recipe! It looks wonderful and I know it will appeal to my family and guests I'm hosting this weekend. I can't wait to make and serve it!
Looks wonderful, I just want to dive straight in. Interesting to note that this version is a dessert one. I made a version a couple of Christmas' ago for Xmas morning breakfast that I ofund in one of Nigella's books. It was Apple and Bluckberry and was a mix between a cake and bread almost. I'll need to give this one a try purely for comparison reasons of course ... lol
Oh it looks beautiful and yummy. I definitely have to try this!
I've never had a kuchen before but I know I would love it, texturally and tastewise! The raspberries in it look so tasty!
WOW...looks amazingly beautiful...feel like grabbing that slice from the screen and indulge myself..mmm...thanks you for sharing this recipe...
love kuchen! i normally make it with blueberries, but raspberry sounds delightful!
dawn
Wow, this looks so good! and sounds relatively healthy with the yogurt =) Bookmarked!
I need SMELL VISION SCREENS!
It looks amazing, as always!
Lovely kuchen easy to make, and so delicious!!
This looksa like the perfect dessert! Love that nam and quite healthy; thank you Mary.
Rita
Mary, this looks delicious and I do like the part about the stray egg pieces being used.
Except for the yogurt, i have everything and I am definitely giving this a try.
I have a peach kuchen that is one of my favorites that I haven't even thought of making for the longest time. Thanks for jogging my memory. I love the use of raspberries in this dessert, I'll be making kuchen before the month is out.
This looks really beautiful and delicious. Looks creamy...mmmm. Love the colour of raspberries there.
This looks wonderful Mary. Thanks so much for posting.
Mary, somehow this reminds me a little of clafoutis--although your kuchen has a nice cake base and seems to be nice and creamy. I like how much of an "everyday" cake this is--the kind that makes lasting memories :)
I feel like crying because I can not reach out for that slice.
Awesome, delicate and so beautiful ♥
I love kuchens. Yum!
MMMM~~ love it!!
That looks wonderful!
I can do this! It does sound simple and looks very tasty, thanks. And also thanks for your kind words and encouragement on my blog post, I really appreciate them.
Beautiful dessert!! I've never heard the term cane berries before. Thanks for teaching me something new today!
O yum! It looks lovely...
Oh it looks so good! I've never tasted a Kuchen, but will be soon. :) I always have yogurt in the fridge, too. Such a pretty dessert!
This is a perfect recipe... I think your blog should be renamed, 'Many Perfect Bites."
I like the yogurt in the recipe and the raspberries look stunning in the cake!
Thanks for the great recipe! This dessert looks simply delicious.
I think it's an excellent recipe---lower fat and less heavy than cheesecake, and, like you, I never liked recipes that left an imbalance of egg whites or yolks.
We are teaching a teen's cooking camp this summer and this looks like a great one for them to learn.
Thanks, Mary!
Mary, summer fruits beg to be used in a pastry like this. I am so longing for raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries I could pick in the wild - they were always smaller, but packed so much more taste.
I made something similar with my kids a couple of days ago, using peaches. And now I have some wonderful Italian plums eagerly awaiting their turn!
Greetings from California!
I have never herd of a kuchen--sounds great though. I love the fact that you use yogurt in it.
Mary, I nvr heard kuchen b4, thanks for sharing and the storythe cake looks so pretty and yummy.
A Poor Man's Cheesecake has been elevated into the realm of special desserts.
Nothing beats a home-made Kuchen. :)
It looks very creamy and such a beautiful color! I've never had kuchen.
Mary, I just wanted to let you know that I baked this Kuchen and served it to my guests yesterday. Needless to say it was a big hit and everyone loved it! I used fat free Greek yogurt (since I had it on hand) and it turned out fantastic. This is going in my permanent recipe files. Thank you so much for this wonderful cake!
Hi Mary. Thanks for stopping by. You have some great recipes here. This raspberry kuchen looks divine!
Made this tonight with fresh peaches and raspberries. It's cooling on a rack and can't wait to try it. This is Kuchin recipe number 3 I'm trying this summer trying to find one similar to what I remember from years ago. I think this might be it. The perfect mix of cake and custard!
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