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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Czech Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

    Published: Jul 3, 2021 · Modified: Oct 12, 2022 by Petra Kupská

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    Here I bring a delicious Czech cream cheese coffee cake recipe, which is not quite traditional but will surprise you with its juiciness and great taste. This sweet pastry made on a baking sheet in the Czech Republic is called "tvarohový koláč".

    czech cream cheese coffee cake
    Table of Contents hide
    ➜ About This Recipe
    ➜ Ingredients
    ➜ Instructions with Photos
    ➜ Serving
    ➜ Storage
    ➜ Cooking Tips
    Cream Cheese Coffee Cake – Czech Tvarohový koláč

    ➜ About This Recipe

    According to this recipe, coffee cake is made from a mixture of flour, sugar, and butter processed into powdery crumbs (in Czech "drobenka").

    The dry mixture is spread on a prepared baking sheet tray, topped with a creamy curd cheese filling, covered with fruit, and finally sprinkled with dry crumbs again.

    When baking, everything combines beautifully, resulting in a moist and soft cake containing no artificial leavening agents like baking powder.

    In Czech, we sometimes call this coffee cake "drobenkový koláč" (crumble cake).

    MY TIP: Do you have fresh strawberries available? Try this for a typical Czech summer dessert: Strawberry dumplings (jahodové knedlíky)

    See what a Czech cream cheese coffee cake looks like baked, cut into slices:

    czech tvarohový koláč coffee cake

    ➜ Ingredients

    To make the cake, you need to prepare the cream cheese filling, and the drobenka crumble separately. I've divided the ingredients for each part of the recipe individually for better clarity in the list.

    czech tvarohový koláč cream cheese coffee cake ingredients

    For the crumble part:

    • All-purpose flour
    • Unsalted butter; take the butter out of the fridge about an hour before you start baking
    • Powdered sugar; if there are lumps in the sugar, sift it

    For the cream cheese filling:

    • Farmer's cheese; in the Czech Republic, this coffee cake is made with tvaroh, a type of fresh cream cheese. In the USA, tvaroh is usually replaced by farmer's cheese, so I used it in the recipe.
    • Milk; at room temperature
    • Eggs
    • Vanilla paste; or vanilla essence. In the Czech Republic, vanilla sugar is usually used, sold here in small sacks. It is a mixture of classic white sugar and vanilla essence.
    • Powdered sugar

    Fruit:

    Sliced strawberries; instead of strawberries, you can use fresh raspberries, cherries, currants, or blueberries

    To grease the baking sheet

    • butter
    • sifted breadcrumbs or coarse flour

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    ➜ Instructions with Photos

    STEP 1: First, grease a baking tray with butter, then dust it with breadcrumbs or coarse flour.

    preparing the baking tray for the coffee cake

    STEP 2: Preheat the oven to 360 °F (180 °C).

    STEP 3: Put the farmer's cheese (tvaroh) in a bowl, and add the sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Mix by hand and gradually add the milk until you have a creamy semi-liquid mixture. Finally, beat everything quickly with an electric mixer set on low speed to remove any lumps.

    making cream cheese filling

    STEP 4: Mix the flour and sugar in a separate bowl and add the cubed butter. Using your fingers, work it into loose crumbs.

    making crumbles czech drobenka

    STEP 5: Pour about ⅔ of the crumbs into the prepared baking tray and spread them evenly across the bottom of the tray.

    making cream cheese coffee cake

    STEP 6: Carefully pour the cream cheese filling over the entire surface, smoothing the top.

    making czech tvarohový koláč, cream cheese filling

    STEP 7: Cover the cheese filling with pieces of strawberries or other fresh fruit.

    putting strawberries over cream cheese filling

    STEP 8: Finally, top the cake evenly with the remaining ⅓ of the crumbs.

    coffee cake before baking

    STEP 9: Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-50 minutes until the center of the cake is firm. If you carefully touch the center of the cake with your finger, it will not be runny but slightly springy.

    baked coffee cake czech tvarohový koláč

    STEP 10: Let the baked cake cool slowly in a slightly open oven for at least an hour. Only then remove it to the kitchen counter and let it cool completely before cutting into it.

    ➜ Serving

    Cut the cooled cake into slices about 3 inches in size. Serve on a dessert plate with a cup of coffee or tea.

    Czech tvarohový koláč served on a dessert plate

    ➜ Storage

    Let the remaining cake cool completely, cut into slices, and place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 5 days.

    ➜ Cooking Tips

    • The amount of milk you add to the farmers' cheese (tvaroh) filling will be determined by how dry the cheese is. In the Czech Republic, tvaroh either has a soft, creamy consistency (it has more liquid) or is a bit drier, with lumps. Depending on which farmers' cheese/tvaroh you use, adjust the amount of milk. The cheese filling should be creamy, semi-liquid, and easy to spread.
    • According to this recipe, warm coffee cake tends to fall apart; eating it with a dessert spoon is better. A cooled cake then holds together without any problem. The temperature does not affect the flavor at all, and the cake tastes great every time!
    • Equipment: I baked the cake from the basic recipe on a 10x12 inch (25x30 cm) baking tray with higher rims.

    More Czech sweet pastry

    • Strawberry coffee cake – jahodový koláč
    • Bublanina – fluffy fruit cake
    • Buchty – sweet-filled yeast buns
    • Zucchini spice cake – cuketovy pernik
    • Chocolate coffee cake – with sour cream topping

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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    czech cream cheese coffee cake recipe

    Cream Cheese Coffee Cake – Czech Tvarohový koláč

    Here I am presenting you a delicious Czech cream cheese coffee cake recipe, which is not quite traditional but will surprise you with its juiciness and great taste. This sweet pastry made on a baking sheet in the Czech Republic is called "tvarohový koláč".
    Print Pin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 316kcal
    Author: Petra Kupská
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Sweet Pastry
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Fruit cake, Strawberry Recipes

    Ingredients

    For the crumble part:

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 g)
    • 1 and ⅓ sticks unsalted butter (150 g)
    • 1 and ¼ cups powdered sugar (150 g)

    Cream cheese filling:

    • 18 ounces farmer's cheese (500 g) in Czech tvaroh
    • 1 cup milk (240 ml)
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
    • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

    Misc.

    • 2 cups fresh strawberries (500 g) sliced
    • 1 Tablespoon butter to grease the baking sheet
    • 1 Tablespoon sifted breadcrumbs or coarse flour to dust the baking sheet

    Instructions

    • First, grease a baking tray with butter, then dust with breadcrumbs or coarse flour.
    • Preheat the oven to 360 °F (180 °C).
    • Put the farmer's cheese (tvaroh) in a bowl, add the sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Mix by hand and gradually add the milk until a creamy semi-liquid mixture is formed. Finally, beat everything shortly with an electric mixer on low speed to remove any lumps.
    • In another bowl, mix the flour and sugar and add the cubed butter. Using your fingers, work it into loose crumbs.
    • Pour about ⅔ of the crumbs into the prepared baking tray and spread them evenly across the bottom of the tray.
    • Carefully pour the cream cheese filling over the entire surface, smoothing the top.
    • Cover the cheese filling with pieces of strawberries or other fresh fruit.
    • Finally, top the cake evenly with the remaining ⅓ of the crumbs.
    • Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-50 minutes until the center of the cake is firm. If you carefully touch the center of the cake with your finger, it will not be runny but slightly springy.
    • Let the baked cake cool slowly in a slightly open oven for at least an hour. Only then remove it to the kitchen counter and let it cool completely before cutting into it.

    Notes

    1. Makes about 12-15 slices.
    2. SERVING: Cut the cooled cake into slices about 3 inches in size. Serve on a dessert plate with a cup of coffee or tea.
    3. STORAGE: Let the remaining cake cool completely, cut into slices, and place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 5 days.
    4. EQUIPMENT: I baked the cake from the basic recipe on a 10x12 inch (25x30 cm) baking tray with higher rims.
    5. According to this recipe, warm coffee cake tends to fall apart; it is better to eat it with a dessert spoon. A cooled cake then holds together without any problem. The temperature does not affect the flavor at all, and the cake tastes great every time!

    DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:

    Conversion chart

    Nutritional Estimate pro portion

    Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 418IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. kristena

      August 29, 2021 at 1:55 pm

      I will be trying this one today! In the past, I've been told that Czech powdered sugar does not contain starch the way ours does in the states. I will powder my own sugar in a high speed blender and I"ll check back in with the results. Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        August 29, 2021 at 3:17 pm

        Oh, I didn't know that fact about powdered sugar (the difference between the US and the Czech type). I really hope you will like the cake, it's super moist and it doesn't contain baking powder (it's not needed in the recipe). Please let me know how the cake turned out!

        Reply
    2. Harshad

      August 30, 2021 at 2:33 am

      I am tempted to make this but it will have to wait a few day. Recipe looks easy, doable and delicious.

      Will revert when l am done trying it.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        August 30, 2021 at 2:53 am

        Fingers crossed, I believe you will like the cake! And of course, I would be glad for your feedback.

        Reply
    3. Marta

      February 14, 2022 at 7:03 pm

      Ahoj Petra,
      I could not wait until Easter and I already baked your Bublanina (the recipe which separates egg whites from yolks) for Valentine's Day. The cake is heavenly, fluffy & light. I made it with blueberries. My husband's only complaint was that I did not give him a big enough piece! We loved it.
      As you know, I am studying your recipes very diligently. My next project is your cheesecake. In her comment to you, Kristena was correct that powdered sugar in the US contains cornstarch. My husband & I are very health conscious and try to avoid it. Do you think the texture of the crumble would be that much different if I used granulated sugar? But then, would it still be the same amount to replace powdered sugar?
      Please advise me. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious Czech recipes.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        February 15, 2022 at 8:21 am

        Ahoj Marta,
        Thank you for your comment. The issue of icing sugar is so interesting to me that I researched how it is in the Czech Republic.
        Interesting fact: Czech producers also add starch to icing sugar! The reason is that without starch, the sugar would harden and be unusable. The starch serves as a protection against the formation of hard lumps. Some manufacturers add wheat starch, others potato starch.
        As for a substitute, feel free to swap the powdered sugar for the coarse one in the crumble part. If you use the same amount, the crumble will be sweeter. I think 1 cup of coarse sugar will do fine instead of 1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar.
        Cream cheese filling: I only add powdered sugar to the cheese filling, I have no experience with coarse sugar. I am concerned that it will dissolve less easily and might be noticeable in the texture of the filling.
        Otherwise, this cake tastes absolutely delicious and is also simple to prepare. If you try it, I firmly believe that you will like it!

        Reply

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    Hi there, I’m Petra, a self-taught home cook and a Czech mom of two teen boys with more than 20 years of cooking experience. I am here to share traditional recipes from the Czech Republic, a small country in the very heart of Europe.

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