This is a rustic favorite often called Quark-Mürbekuchen. It’s the perfect middle ground between a heavy cheesecake and a light sponge cake. By using cottage cheese (or Quark) in the filling, you get a “fluffy-yet-substantial” texture that isn’t as dense as a New York-style cheesecake.

The “easy” secret here is using a one-bowl shortbread that doesn’t require a rolling pin.

🥧 Easy Shortbread & Cottage Cheese Cake

1. The “Press-In” Shortbread

• 2 cups (250g) All-purpose flour
• ½ cup (100g) Sugar
• ¾ cup (150g) Cold butter, cubed
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Baking powder

Instructions: Rub the ingredients together with your fingers until they look like breadcrumbs, then quickly knead into a ball. The Shortcut: Instead of rolling it out, just press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of a greased springform pan with your knuckles. Save the rest for the top!

2. The Fluffy Cottage Cheese Filling

• 2 cups (500g) Cottage cheese (Small curd is best; for a smoother texture, give it a 10-second pulse in the blender)
• 3 Eggs
• ½ cup (100g) Sugar
• 1 cup (250ml) Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 1 packet Vanilla pudding powder (or 3 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tsp vanilla)
• Zest of 1 lemon (This provides that “delicate taste”)

Instructions: Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale, then stir in the cottage cheese, sour cream, lemon zest, and pudding powder. Pour this over your shortbread base.

3. The “Crumb” Finish

Take the remaining one-third of your dough and crumble it over the top of the cheese mixture with your fingers.

Bake: 180°C (350°F) for 45–50 minutes until the edges are golden and the center is set but slightly “wobbly.”

💡 Why This Works

• No Rolling Pin: Pressing the dough directly into the pan saves time and prevents the dough from getting too warm/tough.
• The Cottage Cheese Factor: The curds in the cheese create little pockets of moisture that stay “soft” even after the cake has cooled.

👵 Grandma’s “Speedy” Variation

If you want to make this even faster, skip the dough-making entirely.

The Hack: Use crushed digestive biscuits mixed with melted butter for the base, and just bake the filling on top. It turns it into a “Cheesecake-Shortbread Hybrid” that is ready for the oven in 5 minutes.

🍓 Serving Suggestion

This cake is quite “honest” and simple, so it loves a companion. Serve it with a warm berry compote (frozen berries simmered with a spoon of sugar) or just a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

🍰 Pro Tip for Texture

If you find cottage cheese too “lumpy,” you can swap it for Ricotta. It has a similar fat content but a much finer grain, making the cake feel even more “delicate.”