Incredible Baked Cheesecake With Chocolate Crumbles – Russian Zupfkuchen Recipe

Welcome to my newest recipe post that features one of my favorite baked cheesecake recipes.

My incredible baked cheesecake with chocolate crumbles aka the Russian Zupfkuchen recipe is actually a German recipe. Yes, I know it is a bit confusing.

Nevertheless, it is one of my favorite baked cheesecake recipes because it is so easy to make and will impress not only your family but also your friends.

I do love the combination of the rich cream cheese filling and the decadent taste of the chocolate crumbles. A festival for my taste buds and it will definitely be for yours.

Related post: The Best Baked Cheesecake Made From Scratch and No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes.

ingredients cake base russian zupfkuchen
The ingredients for the cake base and crumbles

How To Make The Cake Base For The Russian Zupfkuchen

Unlike other (baked) cheesecakes, this Russian Zupfkuchen doesn’t have a crust made from crackers and butter.

Instead, you will have to make a proper cake base with butter, egg, flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.

Don’t worry, it is just as easy.

2/3 of the dough will be our crust and the remainder of the dough will be our delicious chocolate crumble topping.

cake base russian zupfkuchen
The dough goes into the fridge while we are preparing the filling

You will need a 9inch springform pan for this baked cheesecake recipe which you simply have to grease with some butter.

Once the cake base is prepared, use your fingertips to spread the dough out evenly into the baking pan. I am using a flat bottom glass to get an even edge. The edge should rise up to around 1 inch.

As I mentioned earlier, we are using 2/3 of the dough as a cake base or crust, and the remainder of the dough (1/3) will be our crumble topping. Easy peasy!

russian zupfkuchen almost cooked
The cake is almost cooked, just another 20 minutes to go

The Cream Cheese Filling

The cream cheese filling is very rich in butter, sugar, and the use of three eggs. It is important to add the flour at the end to hold everything together.

The lemon juice and zest give the cream cheese filling a beautiful aromatic flavor, and the vanilla extra adds a bit of decadence to the cake.

cheesecake with chocolate crumbles /russian zupfkuchen cooked
Done! Now let it cool down completely before cutting

One thing to remember is to add the eggs one at a time. Make sure to mix each egg in completely before adding the next one.

Once the filling looks smooth and silky it is ready to go into our chocolate cake crust. Wiggle the springform pan a little bit to release any air bubbles.

Now, it is time to use up the rest of the dough. With my fingertips, I am going to form medium-sized crumbles and put them on top of the cream cheese filling until they are all used up.

You can watch my video here for step-by-step instructions.

It really looks so pretty!

inside of baked cheesecake with chocolate crumbles
Get ready to enjoy this delicious cheesecake

Once you have added the crumbles, the cake is ready to go into a preheated oven at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit/180 Degrees Celcius.

Bake the Russian Zupfkuchen for 60 minutes, turn the oven off, and leave the cake in there for another 30 minutes. Just make sure to leave the oven door slightly open.

Take the cake out and leave for a few hours until it is cooled down.

a slice of russian zupfkuchen
Yum!!!

You can even prepare the cake in advance because it keeps really well in the fridge. So, if you are expecting guests, just make this cheesecake the day before.

I do love to serve this chocolate cheesecake for special occasions like birthdays, Easter, or other celebrations. As you can imagine, my kids and hubby can’t get enough of this baked cheesecake.

And, to be fair, I can’t blame them.

I promise you, you will fall in love with this cheesecake too. It is rich with a smooth texture and the irresistible taste of chocolate. What else can one ask for?


Incredible Baked Cheesecake With Chocolate Crumbles – Russian Zupfkuchen Recipe

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