32 german cake recipes

German springerle, the classic embossed anise cookie made with eggs, sugar, flour, and crushed anise seed. Patterned with a springerle roller and dried overnight to lock in the design before baking.

Lemony springerle, traditional German embossed cookies stamped from a wooden mold and air-dried overnight before baking. Lemon zest brightens the classic anise.

Had some puff pastry on hand from the holiday baking, and made this apple strudel. It was great, the puff pastry certainly delivered a much richer result than phyllo pastry that I normally use. No leftover, we ate it all!

Traditional German sand tarts rolled paper-thin, cut into diamonds, brushed with egg white, and topped with cinnamon sugar and a pecan half. Crispy, buttery holiday cookies.

The Pennsylvania Dutch settlers made these at Thanksgiving and stored them in a stoneware crock until Christmas. The cookies can be made at any time, but allowed to age for 4-6 weeks.

Herman chocolate chip cookies, hearty and loaded with oats, peanuts, and chocolate chips, made with tangy Herman sourdough starter. A clever, chewy way to use up your friendship starter.

No-bake chocolate icebox cake layered with angel food cake pieces and a rich chocolate custard made from melted German chocolate, egg yolks, and whipped cream. Chills overnight.

Kartoffel Torte is a German chocolate potato cake with mashed potatoes, cocoa, pecans, and maraschino cherries baked in a tube pan and drizzled with powdered sugar icing.

Pfefferkuchen, a German honey spice cake with whole wheat flour, coffee, cinnamon, cloves, and rum, glazed while hot. A traditional Christmas cookie bar that stays soft for weeks.

German yeast cake with rows of sliced apples topped with buttery streusel and slivered almonds for a not-too-sweet coffee cake perfect for brunch or afternoon tea.

Lemon glaze made with egg white, powdered sugar, fresh lemon zest, and lemon juice. A smooth, glossy icing for cookies, cakes, and German-style baked goods.

Rehruecken (saddle of venison cake) bakes a German chocolate-cinnamon sponge in a ribbed loaf mold, splits and fills with currant jelly, then glazes with chocolate and studs with slivered almonds.

Streusel and cream pear kuchen with a yeasted hot-roll base, sweet cream cheese filling, cinnamon-pecan streusel, and fanned poached pears on top. A German-style coffee cake worthy of a holiday brunch table.

An elegant German zucchini cake with coconut, candied cherries, rum, and lemon, lightened with whipped egg whites and finished in a glossy chocolate glaze. Baked in a traditional Rehruecken mold for a stunning presentation.

Rich chocolate drop cookies loaded with flaked coconut, chopped pecans, and chocolate chips, each topped with a pecan half. Melted unsweetened chocolate in the batter gives them a deep, fudgy flavor that tastes like a German chocolate cake in cookie form.

A German take on pancakes. Very flexible, toss in some apples or other fruit and your children or hubby will love you.