This delicious pastry dessert with raspberry jam and a sweet crumbly streusel is called Raspberry German Crumb Cake Bars.
This large batch of cake bars is perfect when cut into small squares or rectangles. The sweet raspberry jam and streusel make the pastry-like treat absolutely delicious!

If you like this recipe you may also enjoy Raspberry Cream Cheese Croissant Bake and Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake with raspberry sauce.
German Crumb Cake Bars with Raspberry Jam
My husband has German roots and loves truly enjoys looking for German-inspired recipes. I think these crumb cake bars would go great with many meals, but with every bite he listed another one of his favorite meals that he wants to eat with these bars. His list included his recent Pork and Sauerkraut Roll-Ups, Instant Pot Sausage & Sauerkraut and Instant Pot Sausage, Potatoes and Green Beans.
I made these bars to take along to some friends when I was preparing to provide them dinner. I was really surprised at both what a large batch of bars this makes as well how hard it was to stop eating them. Every time I cut another bar I was so tempted to trim another small bite-sized slice off for myself to try.
This is the perfect treat for a wedding shower, baby shower or another party where finger foods are served. These raspberry crumb cake bars pair perfectly with Lemon Bars, O’Henry Bars, or Cinnamon Cream Cheese Bars. Serve with a Fruit Tray, Vegetable Tray and some Pink Slush Punch for a wonderful selection of food.
This buttery dessert is also a great sweet treat for breakfast or brunch just like our Buttermilk Coffee Cake or Sticky Bun Swirl Cake. The world needs more sweet pastries, just in small portions of course!
Tips for Making Crumb Cake Bars
- Raspberry jam must be used for maximum flavor, raspberry spread or raspberry preserves typically aren’t quite as sweet as jam
- We might recommend using a little more jam for a special sweet tooth
- The bottom crust will not pour or roll out, it will take some time to press into the bottom of the baking sheet using your fingers
- Crumble streusel finely so that it can bake evenly
- Be sure to use real butter that’s been softened to create the tender crumbs that are so amazing
How to Make Raspberry German Crumb Cake Bars
Grease an 11 inch by 17 inch jelly roll pan and preheat your oven to 400°F.
Using an electric mixer cream the softened butter, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Add egg, flour, milk and mix well.
Use your fingers to press dough into a jelly roll pan. The dough doesn’t have to look perfectly smooth across the top, but the thickness should be roughly the same across the entire baking sheet.
Use a butter knife to spread raspberry jam across the dough.
Using another stick of softened butter mix all streusel ingredients together and crumble into fine crumbs.
Sprinkle the fine crumbs as evenly as possible across the raspberry jam. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly and cut into small squares or rectangles. The bars taste absolutely wonderful served warm or at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container on the counter for 3 to 5 days.
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Other Easy Dessert Recipes:
- Strawberry Banana Split Cake
- Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Cream Puff Cake
- Pineapple Marshmallow Dessert
- Cinnamon Applesauce Cakes
- Pina Colada Cake
Printable German Crumb Cake Bars Recipe
Raspberry German Crumb Cake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- dash salt
- 1 egg
- 3 cups flour
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 18 ounces Raspberry jam
Streusel
- 1-1/3 cup flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter softened
Instructions
- Grease an 11 x 17 jelly roll pan.
- Cream butter, sugar, baking powder and salt together.
- Add egg, flour, milk and mix well.
- Press dough into jelly roll pan.
- Spread raspberry jam across dough.
Streusel
- Mix and crumble all ingredients for streusel into fine crumbs.
- Sprinkle streusel over pan.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. Cut into squares.
Notes
- Raspberry jam must be used for maximum flavor, raspberry spread or raspberry preserves typically aren’t quite as sweet as jam
- The bottom crust will not pour or roll out, it will take some time to press into the bottom of the baking sheet using your fingers
- Crumble streusel finely so that it can bake evenly
- Be sure to use real butter that’s been softened to create the tender crumbs that are so amazing
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That raspberry and the crumbs are really calling my name! I keep thinking I should make more German recipes and these look like a great place to start.