Oma's Quick & Easy Fruit Flan (Obsttorte)
by: Gerhild Fulson / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.
Published: August 15, 2015, Updated: May 18, 2025
Here's a delicious and easy German fruit flan, known as obsttorte, that's perfect for summer gatherings or as a refreshing side dish.
It really is quick ... just one hour from start to finish. Mix the batter in one bowl, bake it in a flan pan, and then have fun getting creative with the fruit. This obsttorte is ratze fatze (easy peasy) and so wunderbar to serve. Every time I make it, I fill it differently ... and it's always delicious.
Oma’s Recipe Rundown
Ease of Making: Quick, simple, and easily customizable with your favorite fruits and fillings
Taste: Light, fruity, and refreshing
Time: Approximately 1 hour from start to finish
Best Served With: Whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar
Top Tips For Best Results
- Prevent Sogginess: Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate, Nutella, or vanilla pudding on the sponge base before adding fruit to act as a moisture barrier.
- Choose Fresh Fruits: Opt for seasonal fruits like strawberries, kiwis, and blueberries for the best flavor and presentation.
- Apply a Glaze: Brushing the fruit with a clear glaze made from apple jelly or apricot preserves adds shine and helps keep the fruit fresh longer.
- Chill Before Serving: If possible, put in fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Obsttorte Fillings
Strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries over vanilla pudding on the Obsttorte.
In the photo above, I used what I had ... instant vanilla pudding, strawberries, a few blueberries, and sliced kiwi. You can use whatever fruit you like, even canned. Or try spreading Nutella and topping with berries.
A layer of pudding or chocolate helps keep the sponge from getting soggy. That’s one of the best things about this obsttorte. It’s so versatile and fun to make your own.
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Tasty Ideas from Our Readers
- "Mine would be filled with fresh strawberries and whipped cream!!
- "I put banana pudding underneath that way it does not get all mushy."
- "A little vanilla crème on the bottom, topped with strawberries and clear glaze."
- "Canned peaches (save the juice, add gelatin and pour over the peaches) and whipped cream, dust with cinnamon."
- "Strawberries, blueberries, and peaches and a glaze."
- "Nutella and strawberries with lots of whipped cream."
The one below is piled high with fresh blueberries and a clear glaze. Don't forget to serve with whipped cream or ice cream!
lots of blueberries and a clear glaze on this obsttorte
Obsttorte for the 4th of July
A fun way to dress up your Obsttorte for the 4th of July? Fill it with vanilla pudding, then use blueberries, raspberries, and whipped cream to create the Stars and Stripes!
I found a great video showing the decorating part. She uses a different tart base, but I think you’ll find my obsttorte base below is much quicker and easier to make.
Oma Says
YES, it really only uses 6 tablespoons of flour! It seems like so little, but it’s just right for one tart.
This sponge base is super easy ... just 4 ingredients you likely already have on hand. I skip the traditional 6 tablespoons of oil or butter, and honestly, we like it better this way.
Tip: Keep some pudding and canned fruit in your pantry so you can whip this up anytime you need a quick dessert.
Strawberry jam covered with strawberries and bananas. Right after this photo, I covered with a glaze.
In the version above, I used halved strawberries and banana slices over a layer of strawberry jam, then topped it with a red gelatin glaze. You can use a Dr. Oetker fruit glaze or make your own with berry juice (see below).
Sometimes I spread vanilla or banana pudding instead, just as lecker. And when I use pudding, I often skip the gelatin glaze altogether.
Strawberry and Blackberry Fruit Flan with a layer of vanilla pudding
Above is the version with vanilla pudding (the instant kind, so easy). Homemade custard would be wonderful too. I topped it with strawberries and blackberries and served lightly sweetened whipped cream on the side. So good!
How to Make Tortenguss (Fruit Glaze)
For a clear glaze, use apple or white grape juice. For a red glaze, use red berry or grape juice. No juice? Use water with a splash of lemon juice and sugar.
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Mix 1 tablespoon potato starch with ¼ cup juice.
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Bring ¾ cup juice to a simmer, then stir in the starch mix.
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Simmer about 30 seconds, stirring, until thickened.
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Spoon over fruit.
You can use cornstarch instead. It’ll be a bit cloudy, but still delicious.
Quick alternative: Warm apricot jam (add a little water if thick), strain, and brush over fruit. Easy and traditional.
Oma's Obsttorte, a German Fruit Flan Recipe
Here's a delicious and easy German fruit flan, known as obsttorte, that's perfect for summer gatherings or as a refreshing side dish.
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Bake Time:
18 minutes
Total Time:
33 minutes
Servings:
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons (48 grams) all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (78 grams) granulated sugar (or 5 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4 gram) baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- filling and glaze (see Notes/Hints below)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 360°F (182°C).
- Grease an 11-inch flan pan.
- Put flour, sugar(s), baking powder, and eggs in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer till light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Gently pour batter into the prepared tin.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool on rack for about 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack and let cool completely before filling.
Notes/Hints:
How to Fill your Obsttorte as shown above:
- Prepare 1 package of instant vanilla pudding (using only 1¾ cups milk instead of the required 2 cups). Let pudding thicken and then spread onto cold cake base.
- Cover with strawberry slices and fresh blueberries. You can spread them out in a circular pattern or any other pretty design.
- Cover with Dr. Oetker's Tortenguss (glaze)
How to Make your own Glaze (Tortenguss):
- For a clear glaze, choose apple or white grape juice.
- For a red glaze, choose a dark red berry or grape juice. If you don’t have juice, then use water, adding lemon juice and sugar to taste.
- Stir 1 tablespoon potato starch into ¼ cup juice until dissolved. Bring ¾ cup juice to a simmer. Stir in the starch mixture and simmer until thickened, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Let cool slightly. Spoon over fruit and let sit until set.
- If you are using canned fruit, you can use the juice you get by draining the canned fruit. If it's too sweet and syrupy, then dilute with a bit of water.
- Cornstarch can be substituted for the potato starch, but the resulting glaze will be cloudy.
Alternate Glaze:
- An easy and traditional alternative is to spread a thin layer of apricot glaze. Heat some apricot jam in the microwave, adding a bit of water if it’s still too thick. Pass through a sieve, cool a bit, and brush on fruit glaze with a pastry brush.
Other German Fruit Flan Fillings:
- Brush tart with jam, cover with prepared fruit or berries, and spoon glaze over top.
- Spread a little vanilla crème on the bottom, topped with strawberries and glaze.
- Use canned peaches (save the juice to make Tortenguss) and whipped cream; dust with cinnamon.
- Spread melted dark or white chocolate over cake, then spread a layer of vanilla pudding topped with your favorite fruit and glaze.
- Spread Nutella over the cake and cover with strawberries and lots of whipped cream.
What to do with Leftover Fruit:
By substituting any fruits for the peaches in this Streusel Cake, you'll have another easy and delicious treat.
Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com
Recipe updated on May 18, 2025
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Words to the Wise
"Lazy people don't even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find."
Proverbs 12:27 (NLT)