Which German baked cheesecake has a cocoa crust and chocolate dough scattered over the filling?

The German baked cheesecake with a cocoa crust and scattered chocolate dough is Russischer Zupfkuchen.

Its name is usually translated as “Russian plucked cake.” The dessert combines a chocolate-flavored shortcrust pastry with a pale quark-based cheesecake filling. The pastry forms the base and sides, while pieces of the same chocolate dough are pulled or pinched into rough flakes and scattered across the top before baking.

The contrasting colors and irregular chocolate pieces are the cake’s signature appearance. The filling commonly uses German Quark, a fresh dairy product that is smoother and less aged than many cheeses used in other cheesecake traditions. Lemon flavoring is also common, helping balance the cocoa and dairy.

Despite the word Russischer, the cake is generally regarded as a German creation rather than a traditional Russian dessert. Its exact origin and name story are uncertain. The “Russian” label may relate to the shape of the scattered dough pieces, sometimes said to evoke onion-dome church roofs. Streuselkuchen is a different German cake topped with crumbly streusel.