Spring Cake

Preparation

1. For the dough, whisk butter with a hand mixer at highest setting until creamy. Gradually stir in sugar and vanilla sugar until you have a homogenous mixture. Stir in the eggs one by one, waiting approx. 30 seconds between each egg. Mix flour with baking powder and stir in in portions. Put the dough into a springform pan, smooth down and put in the oven. Grease the edge of the springform pan and line the bottom with baking paper.  

2. Remove the base from the form and leave to cool down. Then cut horizontally into three bases. For the filling, put quark in a bowl and mix with the lemon juice. Whip the cream with sugar and cream stiffener until stiff and fold in carefully. Place the cake base on a cake platter or large plate, spread with half the preserve extra and a third of the quark cream. Place the second cake base on top. Spread with preserve extra and quark cream again. Place the last base layer on top and spread the rest of the quark cream on top and along the edges.  

3. Sprinkle the edges with almonds or chocolate shavings. Using a cake template, put a motif of your choice with icing sugar on top.   

TIP: Instead of the chocolate shavings you can also sprinkle the edges with pistachios. The almonds can be briefly browned in the pan as well. You can also decorate the cake with chocolate eggs or fondant.  

Baking time: approx. 40 minutes 
Top and bottom heat: about 180°C/356°F (preheated) 
Circulating air: about 160°C/320°F (not preheated) 
Gas: Level 2-3 (not preheated)