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German Names of the 50 Most Common Cakes

Writer: Jens Olesen
Jens Olesen
Jun 16, 2025
3 min read

Germany is famous for its rich and diverse cake culture, with each region boasting its own specialities. From classic sponge cakes to nutty delights and fruit-filled pastries, German cakes (Kuchen and Torten) offer something for every sweet tooth. In this post, we’ll explore 50 of the most common cakes in Germany, their German names, and a brief description of each.


German Names of the 50 Most Common Cakes


1–10: Classic German Cakes

  1. Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte – Black Forest Cake (chocolate sponge, cherries, whipped cream, Kirschwasser)

  2. Sachertorte – Dense chocolate cake with apricot jam (origin: Austria, but popular in Germany)

  3. Frankfurter Kranz – Buttercream and caramelized hazelnut-covered ring cake

  4. Donauwelle – Chocolate and vanilla layered cake with cherries and buttercream

  5. Bienenstich – “Bee Sting Cake” with yeast dough, cream filling, and caramelized almond topping

  6. Baumkuchen – “Tree Cake,” a layered spit cake often coated in chocolate

  7. Marmorkuchen – Marble Cake (vanilla and chocolate swirled pound cake)

  8. Butterkuchen – Flat yeast cake topped with butter and sugar

  9. Kalter Hund – No-bake chocolate biscuit cake (also called “Kalte Schnauze”)

  10. Streuselkuchen – Crumb Cake with a sweet streusel topping


11–20: Nutty and Spicy Cakes

  1. Nusskuchen – Nut Cake, often with hazelnuts or walnuts

  2. Haselnuss-Sahnetorte – Hazelnut Cream Cake

  3. Mandelkuchen – Almond Cake, sometimes with marzipan

  4. Zimtsterntorte – Cinnamon Star Cake (inspired by the Zimtstern cookies)

  5. Gewürzkuchen – Spiced Cake, usually with cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom

  6. Lebkuchentorte – Gingerbread Cake (Lebkuchen-flavored sponge)

  7. Spekulatiuskuchen – Speculoos Cake, using the famous spiced cookie flavor

  8. Linzer Torte – Shortcrust pastry with raspberry jam (Austrian but common in Germany)

  9. Engadiner Nusstorte – Caramelized walnut tart from Switzerland, popular in Germany

  10. Basler Leckerli Kuchen – Swiss-style spiced honey cake with nuts


21–30: Cheesecakes and Cream Cakes

  1. Käsekuchen – German-style cheesecake, often made with quark

  2. Russischer Zupfkuchen – “Russian Pluck Cake,” a cheesecake with chocolate dough pieces

  3. Quarkkuchen – Quark-based cheesecake, similar to Käsekuchen

  4. Eierschecke – Layered cheesecake with a custard topping (common in Saxony)

  5. Rahmkuchen – Cream Cake, similar to a custard tart

  6. Sahnetorte – Generic term for cream cakes

  7. Erdbeer-Sahnetorte – Strawberry Cream Cake

  8. Himbeer-Sahnetorte – Raspberry Cream Cake

  9. Zitronen-Sahnetorte – Lemon Cream Cake

  10. Schokoladen-Sahnetorte – Chocolate Cream Cake


31–40: Fruity Delights

  1. Apfelkuchen – Apple Cake (simple sponge cake with apples)

  2. Versunkener Apfelkuchen – “Sunken” Apple Cake (apples pressed into the batter)

  3. Rhabarberkuchen – Rhubarb Cake

  4. Zwetschgenkuchen – Plum Cake (often baked with yeast dough)

  5. Kirschtorte – Cherry Cake (without the layers of Black Forest Cake)

  6. Erdbeerkuchen – Strawberry Cake (with a sponge or shortcrust base)

  7. Himbeerkuchen – Raspberry Cake

  8. Johannisbeerkuchen – Red Currant Cake

  9. Stachelbeerkuchen – Gooseberry Cake

  10. Pflaumenkuchen – Prune or Plum Cake


41–50: Unique and Regional Cakes

  1. Berliner Luft Torte – Airy meringue cake with fruit and cream

  2. Schmandkuchen – Sour cream cake, often with fruit

  3. Grießkuchen – Semolina Cake

  4. Maulwurfkuchen – “Mole Cake,” chocolate cake filled with bananas and cream

  5. Kardinalschnitte – Light meringue and sponge layer cake (Austrian influence)

  6. Topfenstrudel – Quark-filled strudel (Austrian but loved in Germany)

  7. Gugelhupf – Traditional Bundt cake, often with raisins

  8. Kartoffelkuchen – Potato Cake (made with mashed potatoes in the batter!)

  9. Schoko-Bananen-Kuchen – Chocolate Banana Cake

  10. Schwarzer Peter Kuchen – Dark chocolate cake with nuts


Final Thoughts

German cakes come in many varieties, from simple fruit cakes to rich, cream-filled tortes. Whether you enjoy the classic Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte or a hearty Streuselkuchen, there’s something for everyone in German bakeries.

What’s your favourite German cake? Let us know in the comments!


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