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Strawberry Kuchen Recipe – Easy Fruit Dessert

Strawberry Kuchen Recipe has a sweet buttery dough layered with juicy fresh strawberries and topped with creamy custard. You’ll love this easy Strawberry Dessert.

We love this fresh strawberry fruit dessert so much that we made a delicious Fresh Peach Kuchen version too.

This post has been updated to improve readers’ experience. No changes were made to the recipe.

Top down view of slices of strawberry kuchen. One slice is on a cake stand and another slice is on a maroon plate. A corner shows a partial pie tin filled with kuchen. Strawberries are scattered about the photo.

Strawberry Kuchen is a slightly sweet recipe that’s perfect for brunch or as an easy Strawberry Dessert to share with friends. It looks like you went to a lot of work but it comes together in a jiffy.

This recipe was previously featured with an affiliated product called Raisenne which appears in the video but isn’t available at this time.

Growing up my mother always had an Apricot Kuchen in a white bakery box hidden in the freezer.

The truth is she didn’t need to hide it because we didn’t like it.

This recipe was in her sister’s handwriting, and typical of those ladies, it left out about 60% of what I needed to know in order to make it. I just love those recipes though.

Side view of a slice of Kuchen showing a layer of strawberries over a crust and topped with custard on a maroon plate. Strawberries are scattered around the plate on a gray background.

What is a Kuchen?

Kuchen is a German word for “cake”. Kuchen desserts are traditionally served to friends with a cup of coffee.

We pronounce Kuchen as Ku-gen but it can also be pronounced Koo-ken. I’ve also seen it spelled Coogan and Cougan cake.

Kugen recipes can be sweet and use a variety of fruit or can be savory such as a Cheese Kugen.

Our strawberries are just beautiful now so we went with a fresh Fruit Strawberry Kugen recipe which makes the perfect Strawberry Dessert for summer.

How to make Kuchen

Kuchen dough recipe

I made this kuchen recipe a couple of times, and the first time I made it I rolled the dough a little thicker and brought it up over the edge of my pie plate.

Leaving the dough thicker makes for a cake-like crust.

Rolling the dough thinner makes it more like a pastry crust. In my opinion, rolling the dough thinner balances the dough with the fruit and custard layers evenly.

There’s a touch of cinnamon in the dough that makes it perfect with the custard.

Kuchen dough is very easy to work with. It’s soft and tender and is easy to roll. Here are some helpful tips.

Top down view of a baked Kuchen with two slices missing. A knife sits over the back of the pie tin. Scattered strawberries and a basket of strawberries sit over a gray background. Partial slices of Kuchen appear on the edges of the photo

Tips for the perfect Kuchen pastry dough

  • Ingredients should be at room temperature which makes blending them easier.
  • Add the all-purpose flour gradually. My dough required about 6 cups. I stirred in 3 cups initially and then gradually added the next 2 to 3 cups.
  • Once you can handle the dough, mixing it by hand will give you a feel for the dough’s consistency. You want the dough soft and tender.
    • Adding too little flour will result in a sticky dough.
    • Adding too much flour will result in a heavier and less tender dough.
  • Have a large oiled bowl ready for the dough to rise along with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap to cover it until doubled.
    • Cover the dough so it doesn’t develop a crust when exposed to air.
    • Place the bowl in a warmer area without drafts.

The custard isn’t difficult to make. I wanted my custard less eggy and a little sweeter so added more sugar than what the recipe calls for.

It’s still not real sweet but you can cut the sugar in half if that’s how you like it.

The following tips will help you to make the perfect smooth creamy custard topping.

Angled view of a slice of Kuchen showing a layer of strawberries over a crust and topped with custard on a maroon plate. Strawberries are scattered around and a partial slice on a gray stand and the whole dessert in a pie tin is in the background on a gray background.

Tips for the perfect Kuchen Custard

  • You can start making the Custard as soon as you start proofing the dough, or made first.
  • Use all room-temperature ingredients.
  • Whisk the eggs together in a separate dish prior to making the custard.
    • I like using a glass measuring cup for my eggs. That makes adding them much easier.
  • Don’t cook your cream ingredients too quickly. Cook it slow and as soon as it starts steaming it’s hot enough to add the eggs.
  • Add the eggs to the steaming cream mixture slowly at a drizzle, whisking the whole time. This is called tempering.
    • If you added them directly all at once, you would have scrambled eggs.
    • If you added the eggs at the beginning with the cream it would be lumpy.
  • The eggs are what thickens the cream mixture into a custard. When the starts to thicken, remove it from the heat.
    • The custard will thicken when baked and cooled so don’t over-thicken it. Please watch the video for the consistency.
    • This recipe comes together quickly so there isn’t any need to chill the custard.
Side view of a slice of Kuchen showing a layer of strawberries over a crust and topped with custard sitting on a small gray cake stand. Strawberries are scattered around and a partial view of the whole kuchen in a metal pie tin sits in the background.

Tips for Strawberry Kuchen Dessert Assembly

This recipe makes 4 pie plates or more, depending on how thin you roll the dough. You can make this recipe in any container that has sides and is oven-ready. Kuchen bars are easy to cut and serve when baked in a 9×13 baking dish.

  • Roll the dough thinly and place it on an oiled pie plate. Press the dough up the sides of the pie plate but not over the rim.
  • Layer the fruit on top of the dough but don’t go over the sides of the dough. Otherwise, some of the fruit can bake over and behind the dough.
  • Sprinkle the top with equal amounts of cinnamon and sugar.

Store Kuchen in the refrigerator or freeze in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.

Angled view of a slice of Kuchen showing a layer of strawberries over a crust and topped with custard on a maroon plate. Strawberries are scattered around and a partial slice on a gray stand and the whole dessert in a pie tin is in the background on a gray background.

If you like this Easy Kuchen recipe, here are a few more I think you’ll enjoy

If you like this recipe, we would appreciate your comment and a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!

I may have to start hiding my fresh Strawberry Kuchen in my freezer. It’s that good!

Angled view of a slice of Kuchen showing a layer of strawberries over a crust and topped with custard on a maroon plate. Strawberries are scattered around and a partial slice on a gray stand and the whole dessert in a pie tin is in the background on a gray background. The title "Strawberry Kuchen" appears in the bottom left corner

Strawberry Kuchen Recipe

Author: Julie Menghini
Strawberry Kuchen Recipe has a thin sweet dough layered with fresh strawberries and topped with a smooth and creamy custard.
4.89 from 9 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Proof time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Breakfast and Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American, German
Keyword: Kuchen Recipe, Strawberry Kuchen
Servings: 24

Ingredients
 
 

Kuchen Dough

  • 2 eggs room temperature, whisked
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon sliced
  • tsp instant yeast (2 packets of rapid rise yeast)
  • cups whole milk room temperature or warmed to 98°F
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour 4 to 6 cups

Kuchen Custard

  • 6 eggs whisked, room temperature
  • 3 cups cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt

Fruit

  • 4 cups strawberries sliced

Equal amounts of cinnamon and sugar for garnishing.

Instructions
 

  • Make the dough by stirring the milk, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, and eggs together. Add the softened butter and break it up into pieces with a spatula.
  • Add 3 cups of flour and stir together with a spatula. Add additional flour until the dough comes together. Continue adding flour until the dough is soft but not sticky.
  • Place the dough in an oiled boil. Cover and let rise until increased in volume 30% to 50%. Please see the recipe notes.
  • While the dough is rising, make the custard.

Custard

  • Over low heat, combine the cream, milk, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Heat until steaming. Slowly drizzle in the eggs, whisking continuously until mixture has started to thicken. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Assembly

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spray pie plate with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Roll out pieces of dough large enough to cover the bottom of a pie plate and 1/2 to 3/4 up the sides of the plate.
  • Layer the fruit on the dough. Don't layer above the sides of the dough.
  • Spoon the custard over the top of the strawberry layer.
  • Sprinkle the top of the custard with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
  • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the pan half-way through.
  • Cool before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Notes

Recipe makes 4 Kuchens. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 7gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 91mgPotassium: 157mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 683IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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Aslice of Kuchen filled with strawberries and topped with custard - Hostess At Heart

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4.89 from 9 votes (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating




den m

Thursday 13th of June 2024

Hi, I've been looking for a Kuchen and yours is most appealing. Have you used an instant read thermometer to know the temp of the custard when it is finished properly? Thank you.

Julie Menghini

Thursday 13th of June 2024

I never have used a thermometer to know the temp of the custard. I have a video in that recipe that shows you the proper thickness for making the custard and the dough. Please take a look at it and let me know if this answers your question or not.

Dana

Tuesday 22nd of September 2020

Julie- i have never seen this before - but now I want it to use for all the things in the kitchen. It is so cool. Oh and I want to make this cake too!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 22nd of September 2020

Thank you, Dana! It's so easy and delicious.

Cassandra D

Friday 7th of August 2020

Looks delicious.

Julie Menghini

Friday 7th of August 2020

Thanks, Cassandra!

Saimah

Thursday 6th of August 2020

I've never come across the word Kuchen till today -- thank you for teaching us about this delectable dessert and how to prepare the dough rapidly in the Rasienne Dough Riser! The custard and strawberry combination sure sounds like a winner, can't wait to try it out soon

Julie Menghini

Friday 7th of August 2020

Thank you, Saimah! I appreciate such a nice comment!

christopher h

Thursday 6th of August 2020

i'd like to make some fresh bread with it, if i can ever find yeast for sale again

Julie Menghini

Friday 7th of August 2020

Hi Christopher! Love making bread. Have you stepped into sourdough?

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