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German Danube Wave (Cherry Chocolate Cake)

Danube Wave (Vegan Cherry Marble Cake)

Author: Bianca Zapatka
Danube Wave Cake "Donauwelle" is a popular German Cherry Chocolate Marble Cake that tastes like the traditional recipe Grandma used to make! It features a delicious sponge cake with cherries, chocolate, and vanilla pudding cream that everyone will love (also known as "Snow White Cake")!
4.86 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Course Cake, Dessert, Torte
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 414 kcal
US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

Cake batter:

  • 2 cups all-purpose or spelt flour or sub gluten-free flour (*see notes)
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda or 1 tsp more baking powder
  • 4.4 oz vegan butter soft or margarine (*see notes)
  • ½ cup + 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup soy milk or other non-dairy milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 12 oz pitted cherries jarred (drained), frozen or fresh

Chocolate batter:

Pudding cream filling:

Chocolate glaze:

  • 5.3 oz dark chocolate
  • 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil

Instructions 

*Note: I recommend checking out the step-by-step photos in the blog post above for visual instruction! For the best results, I recommend measuring the ingredients in grams. Simply click on the word "metric" right above the ingredient list.

  • Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C) top and bottom heat. Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. (If you want to bake the cake on an 11.8“x15.7“ baking sheet, simply double the recipe).

Cake batter:

  • Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
  • In another mixing bowl, cream together the soft vegan butter and the sugar with an electric hand mixer until creamy. Then add in the flour mixture along with the soy milk and vanilla extract and mix until just combined. (Do not overmix, or the cake will become chewy and dense).
  • Transfer half of the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing out evenly.
  • In a small bowl, dissolve the cocoa powder in the hot non-dairy milk. Then stir it into the remaining batter until just combined and pour it over the light batter. Spread the drained cherries over the top and press them gently into the chocolate batter.
  • Bake the cake on the middle rack for about 40 minutes. (Do a chopstick test! *see recipe notes). Then remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan.

Pudding cream filling:

  • Pour about ⅓ cup of the soy milk in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch and stir to dissolve. Pour the remaining soy milk and vanilla extract in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Then whisk in the cornstarch mixture along with the sugar and bring to the boil again, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Then immediately pour the pudding into a heat-proof bowl and cover tightly with cling film to prevent the top from forming a skin. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Remove the vegan butter from the fridge, cut it into small cubes, and put it into a mixing bowl. Set aside and bring to room temperature.
  • When both, the cooked pudding and the butter pieces are at room temperature, mix the butter with an electric hand mixer until creamy. Then gradually add the pudding, one tablespoon at a time, until a creamy buttercream is formed. Spread it over the cooled cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight to set.

Chocolate glaze:

  • Slowly melt the finely chopped chocolate along with the coconut oil over a water bath. Then carefully pour it over the chilled pudding buttercream. (For the traditional Danube wave design you can wave through the chocolate with a fork as desired). Refrigerate to set.
  • When the chocolate glaze is firm and crunchy, dip a sharp knife in warm water, then dry quickly and cut the cake. Enjoy chilled and keep the leftovers in the refrigerator.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Gluten-free: To make the pie crust gluten-free, you can substitute a gluten-free flour blend 1:1.
  • Vegan Butter: I prefer using vegan butter or margarine for the cake batter but feel free to substitute coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil.
  • Chopstick test! It is best to test the cake with a chopstick pretty in the center but at a place without many cherries. The cake is done baking when the stick comes out almost clean with just a few moist crumbs attached but no liquid batter.
  • Red Fruit Glaze: If you like, you can also top this cake with a red fruit glaze instead of the chocolate glaze to make a traditional Snow White Cake!
  • Baking pan: This recipe yields about 16 muffins or cupcakes and can also be baked in a small bundt pan (don't skip the chopstick test as the baking time may vary!)
  • You can find more information on the recipe in the blog post above.
Nutritions
Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1061IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as estimate.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @biancazapatka or tag #biancazapatka!