This cake is beautifully tender and homey: a fluffy egg-based sponge studded with chocolate chips and a delicate quark cream lattice on top. Minimal effort, one sheet pan, and you have an elegant bake for tea.
Ingredients
- Eggs — 4
- Sugar — 1 cup
- Water — 1/2 cup
- Flour — 1 1/2 cups
- Baking powder — 1 packet
- Vanillin — 1 packet
- Chocolate chips — 1/2 cup
- Quark or a soft curd cream — for the pattern on top
- Powdered sugar — for serving
Step-by-step recipe
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Line a rectangular baking pan, about 8 x 12 in (20 x 30 cm), with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Pour in the water and mix to combine.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and vanillin. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix into a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Fold in the chocolate chips gently with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Transfer the quark or ready-made curd cream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe a lattice pattern over the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a skewer comes out dry. Cool the cake on a wire rack, dust with powdered sugar, and cut into squares.
Serving and storage
Serve the cake slightly warm or completely cooled. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
📹 Watch the video recipe on our Telegram channel: @alwaysyummy
📹 Watch video recipe in our Telegram channel
Tips and variations
- No quark? Use cream cheese beaten with a pinch of vanilla and a spoonful of sugar, or thick sour cream.
- For a deeper chocolate flavor, add 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder and reduce the flour by the same amount.
- You can swap the chocolate chips for chopped chocolate, chocolate chunks, or a mix of dark and milk chocolate.
- To keep the lattice neat, hold the piping bag 1/4-1/2 in (0.5-1 cm) above the surface and pipe slowly, without jerking.
- There is no need to grease the pan if you use parchment. If you do not have parchment, lightly grease the pan with oil and dust with flour.
Nutritional value (per serving)
| Calories | ≈ 200 kcal |
| Protein | ≈ 5 g |
| Fat | ≈ 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | ≈ 31 g |
FAQ
What can I use instead of quark for the top pattern?
Cream cheese, thick sour cream, or farmer cheese all work well. For a softer, more pipeable texture, add 1-2 tsp sugar and a few drops of vanilla.
Can I make it without chocolate chips?
Yes, it will become a tender vanilla cake. For a filling instead of chocolate, add raisins, dried apricots, or nuts.
How do I know the cake is baked through?
A skewer inserted in the center comes out dry, the top springs back lightly when pressed, and the edges pull away slightly from the pan.