Cherry Vatrushka (Curd-Filled Cake)
Tender, with an aromatic filling and berries! Let’s learn to make a yeast-free curd vatrushka with cherries so the dough and filling don’t mix. You can serve it any day and for any occasion!
Updated : 05 March, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
Dough
175 grams
Wheat flour
150 grams
Sugar
100 grams
Sour cream
30 milliliters
Vegetable oil
2
Eggs
1 teaspoon
Baking powder
1 grams
Salt
Filling
150 grams
Sour Cherry
500 grams
Curd
100 grams
Sugar
3
Eggs
2 tablespoon
Semolina
1 tablespoon
Vanilla sugar
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make cherry vatrushka? Prepare the ingredients for the batter. Use higher-fat sour cream (20% fat or more). Use large eggs. Use good-quality all-purpose flour.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine the sour cream, eggs, and sugar, and beat until fluffy.
Step 3
Add the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat again until smooth.
Step 4
Pour in the vegetable oil and mix.
Step 5
You’ll get a thick, smooth batter. It should be the same consistency as for a classic sponge (like apple charlotte cake), or a bit thicker.
Step 6
Pour the batter into a pan greased with butter. For easier removal, it’s best to use a springform pan. Since I used a deep silicone pan, I make parchment “handles” so I can lift the cake out by pulling them.
Step 7
Prepare the ingredients for the filling. It’s best to use curd that’s slightly moist and not lumpy. Brick-style curd works perfectly - it’s soft, moderately moist, and smooth. If your curd is dry and clumpy, blend it with an immersion blender or press it through a sieve.
Step 8
Wash the cherries, pat dry, and remove the pits. Drain off any released juice. You can use fresh cherries or frozen. If using frozen, thaw them first and spread the berries on a paper towel.
Step 9
Combine the curd with the eggs, sugar, semolina, and vanilla sugar.
Step 10
Beat everything with a mixer until smooth. The filling should be thick and glossy, but still pourable.
Step 11
Spoon the curd filling into the center of the batter. Add it little by little - about a tablespoon at a time - right in the middle. If you pour the filling in all at once, the batter and filling won’t spread correctly and may mix. If you add it slowly by spoon, the filling will gradually spread inside the batter in an even layer. The less filling you add, the wider the border of batter will be; the more filling, the thinner the batter layer becomes.
Step 12
Arrange the cherries over the curd layer. Place the berries only on the curd filling - don’t disturb the batter or press the layers together. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 356°F for 40-45 minutes.
Step 13
Let the finished vatrushka cool slightly, remove it from the pan, and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy your meal!
Author note
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