lemon quark cake

quark.jpg

Our dear friend Mari in Germany put us on to quark, a kind of fresh cheese that’s similar to sour cream but lighter and fresher in taste, and excellent in baked goods. When Mari lived with our family as an au pair she used to go to the Old German Bakery in Hoboken and bring back quarkbällchen, which are like doughnut holes made with quark, and we would all fight over the last one. If you don’t have quark you can also use sour cream or Greek yogurt as a substitute, and the results will still be great.

Lemon Quark cake recipe

Makes 1 loaf pan-sized cake

Ingredients:

  • 7 fl. oz. quark (just shy of a cup in a liquid measuring cup)

  • 3 fl. oz. sunflower, canola, or olive oil (olive oil imparts a stronger flavor)

  • Zest of 2 large lemons (3 lemons if small)

  • 2 TBS fresh lemon juice

  • 5 oz. (¾ cup) sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 7 oz. (1 ½ cups + 2 TBS) all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp. baking soda

  • 1 pinch of salt

    For the glaze:

  • 3 TBS fresh lemon juice

  • 2 oz. (½ cup) confectioner's sugar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter the inside of a 4.5" x 8.5" loaf pan (or similar size).

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the quark, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and eggs. In another, small, bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined—do not overmix.

  3. Scrape all the batter into the prepared loaf pan and put in the oven. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, rotating about halfway through. All ovens are different, so start checking after 30 minutes. You'll know the cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

  4. Make the glaze by simply whisking together lemon juice and confectioner's sugar until well blended. When the cake has cooled, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it, then free the cake by carefully inverting it into a dish towel, then onto a serving tray. Drizzle or brush the glaze over the top of the cake, making sure to coat the edges liberally. If the cake lasts more than a day, wrap and store it in the refrigerator.