An excellent Czech quark and chocolate sheet cake: a creamy tvaroh layer between a dark cocoa sponge and smooth chocolate ganache. Stay sharp and grab your piece quickly, Míša řezy disappears from the plate in no time!
This recipe was fully reworked in July 2026 to give you the complete experience.
Míša řezy (pronounced MEE-shah RZHEH-zih) is a loving tribute to the Míša popsicle, a chocolate-coated quark ice cream bar that everyone in my generation grew up with. Anything that tastes like that popsicle brings childhood back with it, and this cake does exactly that.
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➜ Why this recipe works
- The white layer is a no-bake cream of full-fat tvaroh and butter. Tvaroh is a Czech fresh cheese; in the US, farmer's cheese is the closest substitute. The butter firms the cream up in the fridge, so the squares hold their shape when cut. One condition: the cheese must be full-fat. A low-fat cheese will not set, and the layer stays loose.
- The topping is a real ganache, semi-sweet chocolate melted with heavy cream, instead of plain melted chocolate. Ganache stays flexible, so it does not crack or shatter when you cut the cake into neat rectangles.
"Thank you for refreshing my memories. I pictured my mom making Misa rezy in our old kitchen, and the taste came right to my mind. You make my homesickness more bearable. Dobrou chut!"
Petra W.
I bake Míša řezy whenever my family asks for them, which is often: every time I ask what I should bake for the weekend, Míša řezy are among the answers. After years of making this cake, those two details above are what separate a good míša from a perfect one.
➜ What is Míša řezy?
Míša řezy is a very popular Czech dessert baked in a rectangular sheet pan and cut into small rectangles when served. The three layers, dark cocoa sponge, white quark cream, and chocolate topping, contrast each other beautifully, which is why Czechs sometimes call it a black and white cake.
Love Czech quark desserts? Bake my Czech-style cheesecake (tvarožník) next; for another layered pan cake, try my three-layer sheet cake (tříbarevný koláč). Hungry for more? Browse all Czech desserts on the blog.
Czech pronunciation
Curious how Míša řezy sounds in Czech? It is roughly MEE-shah RZHEH-zih. The tricky part is the ř in řezy, a sound found only in Czech. Do not worry if it does not come out right the first time - I recorded a short clip so you can hear the real thing. Click and listen!
➜ The story behind Míša řezy
The name itself tells the story. The famous Míša ice cream bar has been a Czech favorite since the early 1960s, and these squares are simply a homemade version of that beloved treat.
The second half of the name says how you eat it: řezy means "slices," which is exactly how the cake is served, cut into neat squares. English speakers sometimes call it "Mickey squares," since Míša is the Czech equivalent of the name Mickey.
More than sixty years on, Míša řezy are just as popular as ever. If you are visiting Prague or anywhere else in the Czech Republic and stop for a coffee after a stroll, peek into the chilled display case. There is a good chance you will see Míša řezy among the cakes, sometimes in their classic form, sometimes reinvented in creative new variations that are every bit as beautiful as they are delicious. Whenever I see a slice behind the glass, I cannot resist treating myself to one.
➜ Ingredients you will need
✅ See the recipe below with step-by-step photos and many helpful tips. Scroll down for the full printable recipe in both US cups and metric measurements.
A quick word on the ingredients that matter most, grouped by layer.
For the cocoa sponge base:
- Eggs, at room temperature, for a light, airy sponge.
- Granulated sugar.
- Neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower, to keep the sponge moist without adding flavor.
- All-purpose flour, called hladká mouka in the Czech Republic (or plain flour in the UK and Australia).
- Unsweetened dark cocoa powder. Dutch-process cocoa gives the sponge its deep color and rich chocolate flavor.
- Baking powder and a pinch of salt.
- Water, at room temperature, to loosen the batter.
For the tvaroh filling:
- Tvaroh, the star of the show: a fresh Czech curd cheese that gives Míša řezy their cool, creamy middle. If you cannot find it, make your own tvaroh, look for German Quark or Polish twaróg, or use full-fat American farmer's cheese. In a pinch, well-drained cottage cheese or ricotta will do. Whatever you choose, it should be firm, full-fat, and at room temperature before mixing.
- Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly.
- Powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar in the US, icing sugar in the UK and Australia), called moučkový cukr in Czech.
- Vanilla extract.
- Rum (optional). In the Czech Republic we usually use tuzemák (such as Božkov), but any spiced rum works well. Leave it out if you prefer.
For the chocolate glaze (a ganache):
This recipe uses a simple ganache, which stays glossy and soft enough to slice without cracking.
- Semisweet chocolate, about 50-55% cocoa. A baking bar melts more smoothly than chocolate chips.
- Heavy cream, about 33% fat.
Equipment
- Electric mixer. Whisk the sponge with the whisk attachment and mix the tvaroh cream with the paddle attachment.
- Offset spatula. For spreading the cream and chocolate glaze evenly.
- 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
➜ How to make Míša řezy
STEP 1: Prepare the pan and oven. Line the pan with parchment paper (or, the way I do it, grease it well and dust it with fine breadcrumbs), then heat the oven to 360°F (180°C).
STEP 2: Whip the eggs. With the wire whisk, beat the eggs and sugar on high until pale, thick, and fluffy, about 5 minutes. This air is what gives the sponge its lift, so do not rush it. On low speed, pour in the oil and the room-temperature water, mixing just until combined.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together, then mix them into the egg foam on the lowest speed (or fold by hand), a third at a time, just until no streaks remain. Adding it in batches on low speed distributes the dry ingredients evenly, with no lumps, while the low speed keeps the whipped-in air. Do not overmix. Spread evenly in the pan.
STEP 4: Bake the base, then cool it. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. The sponge is thin, so keep an eye on it and test with a toothpick; it should come out clean. Let it cool completely in the pan before you add the cream.
STEP 5: Make the tvaroh cream. With the butter properly softened (soft enough to dent with a finger, never melted), beat it with the powdered sugar using the flat beater on medium speed until light and creamy, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tvaroh, also at room temperature, a spoonful at a time, lowering the speed a little, then the vanilla and the rum, if using. Beat only until the tvaroh is smooth and combined, no longer, or the cream can split.
STEP 6: Spread and chill. Spread the cream over the cooled base and smooth the top. Chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, until the cream is cold, so the warm ganache will not melt into it later. To speed things up, you can put it in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes instead; just do not let it freeze solid.
STEP 7: Make the ganache. Bring the cream just to a boil in a small pot. As soon as it starts to bubble, take the pot off the heat, set it aside, and immediately add the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for a minute or two, then stir gently until glossy and smooth; gentle stirring keeps air bubbles out. Melting the chocolate right in the warm pot works better than pouring the cream into a bowl of chocolate, where it would cool too fast. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.
STEP 8: Glaze and chill again. Pour the ganache over the cream layer and smooth it out. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight, until set.
STEP 9: Cut into squares. For clean edges, cut with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Both the ganache and the cream are rich in fat, which softens a little against the warm blade, so the knife slides cleanly through every layer.
➜ How to serve
Serve Míša řezy well chilled, straight from the refrigerator and cut into small squares. Thanks to the fresh cheese layer, they taste best cold. In many Czech homes a square of sweet cake like this even stands in for breakfast, not only dessert.
If you are serving a crowd, bring out just as many squares as you will eat and keep the rest chilled, since the cream and ganache soften in a warm room. Dobrou chuť!
➜ How to store Míša řezy
- In the refrigerator: Keep Míša řezy covered in the baking pan and cut into squares only when serving. They will keep well for up to 4 days.
- Can you freeze them? You can, but I rarely do because they disappear too quickly in my house! The tvaroh layer may become slightly grainy after thawing. Freeze the squares in an airtight container and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
➜ FAQ
No. Cream cheese is too soft and too mild, so the middle layer would slump and be hard to slice. Reach for farmer's cheese, or a firm, well-drained full-fat cottage cheese, both much closer to Czech tvaroh.
Yes, and ideally a day ahead. Made the day before, it firms up overnight in the refrigerator, which makes it easier to cut into clean squares. Keep it covered in the pan (with plastic wrap, or the pan's lid if it has one) until you are ready to serve.
Tried this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Míša Řezy (Czech Quark and Chocolate Squares)
Tap or hover to scale
This recipe was developed in grams. For the most accurate results, tap the purple METRIC toggle and use a kitchen scale.
Ingredients
Cocoa sponge cake:
- 3 medium eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons neutral oil sunflower or canola
- 3 Tablespoons water at room temperature
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
White quark cream:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ⅓ pounds tvaroh cheese full-fat, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon rum optional
Chocolate topping:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 5 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
Instructions
- Line the pan with parchment and heat the oven to
360 °F - Whip 3 medium eggs and ½ cup granulated sugar with the wire whisk until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On low speed, mix in 3 Tablespoons neutral oil and 3 Tablespoons water.
- Sift ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 3 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder, 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and 1 pinch salt. Mix into the egg foam on the lowest speed (or fold by hand), a third at a time, just until no streaks remain. Spread evenly in the pan.
- Bake 10 to 13 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
- With the flat beater, cream ¾ cup unsalted butter and ¾ cup powdered sugar until light, 5 to 8 minutes. Beat in 1 ⅓ pounds tvaroh cheese a spoonful at a time, then 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 Tablespoon rum. Beat just until smooth.
- Spread the cream over the cooled base. Chill 30 minutes (or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer).
- Bring ½ cup heavy cream just to a boil. Off the heat, add 5 ounces semisweet chocolate; let stand 1 to 2 minutes, then stir gently until smooth. Cool 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
- Pour the ganache over the cream and smooth. Chill 2 hours or overnight, until set.
- Cut into squares with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
Notes
- Makes about 12 squares in a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan.
- Oven: temperatures are for a conventional (non-fan) oven; for convection, lower by 25°F.
- Tvaroh: use firm, full-fat tvaroh or farmer's cheese, at room temperature. Not cream cheese or a soft/low-fat cheese, or the cream layer will not slice.
- Have the butter and tvaroh at room temperature; do not overbeat the cream (it can split).
- Chocolate: use a chopped baking bar, not chips.
- Make-ahead: best a day ahead; it firms up overnight.
- Storage: keep in the pan, covered, refrigerated, up to 4 days.
Ryan B says
Hello! I was wondering how to substitute the quark for farmer's cheese? The instructions are sort of vague, and I'm not quite sure if I need to mix the cheese with cream cheese, and what amounts, etc. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Petra Kupská says
Ahoj Ryan, thank you for your comment. "Míša řezy" recipe is one of my first attempts to describe Czech desserts here on the blog, and I am sorry for any confusion I could cause. Now I know that to get "tvaroh" quark in the USA is not easy. I've read that the closest substitution should be farmer's cheese; that's why I mentioned this ingredient here. In my opinion, you can substitute Czech "tvaroh" with the farmer's cheese in 1:1 ratio. In the following days, I will look at this recipe and make the instructions more straightforward.
Brooke Johnson says
Hi, Petra! Is farmers cheese the same or similar to cream cheese?
Petra Kupská says
Hi, Booke! Farmers cheese is basically Czech Tvaroh cheese: fresh and crumbly, unlike soft cream cheese. While many people use cream cheese instead farmers cheese, for a more authentic Czech taste, I recommend finding the farmers one at your local store. If you have a European grocery store nearby, try looking for German Quark or Polish Twaróg.
Brooke Johnson says
Thank you so much!
Michelle Maine says
The gram version of the recipe has a mistake- under the quark cream, it lists 0 grams of sugar
Petra Kupská says
Thank you for notyfying me the issue has already been fixed.
Susana Zapletal says
es un dulce muy tentador. lo prepararé
Petra Kupská says
I hope you love making your Míša řezy, the Czech quark and chocolate squares. Come back and tell me how they turn out!
Monica says
Hello Petra. please can you tell me the weight of the 1.5 sticks of butter you mention or measurment in cups. Just a further rquedt to claify whether Quark or Ricotta would be a good sunstitute for the cheese. I live in London so your answer would hp me to source alternative products here. Cheers Monica
Petra Kupská says
Hi Monica, thank you for your question! 1.5 sticks of butter is 170 g, which is ¾ cup or 12 tablespoons. A handy tip: if you switch the toggle on the recipe card to METRIC (the purple tab), the whole recipe appears in metric measurements. As for the cheese: Quark is a nearly identical substitute, it is basically the German version of Czech tvaroh. Just be sure to use full-fat quark, so the filling stays thick and spreadable, not runny. Well-drained ricotta will do in a pinch, though it is milder. Happy baking!
Monica says
Hello Petra,
Thank you so much for the information and for the tip ie tab to switch to metric. I look forward to baking the slices but at the moment London is so very hot that I think I shall wait a while!!
Kind regards
Monica