Aldi Donauwelle Indulgent Cakes (Deutsche Küche) Review
A ninety-five cent wonder?
After my disaster with Aldi’s Bienenstich frozen cakes, I didn’t have high expectations for these Donauwelle cakes. I was pleasantly surprised, however.
I bought these frozen desserts during Aldi’s popular “German Week” event. According to Wikipedia, the Donauwelle, or “Danube Wave,” is a traditional German sheet cake distinguished by its wavy layered pattern of sour cherries, pound cake, buttercream, and chocolate. Supposedly, it resembles the waves of a river, hence the reference to the Danube river. The cakes are definitely eye-catching. But are they taste-bud-catching? Let’s find out.
I love that this cake has 4 layers and at least 5 taste profiles. The cream layer is remarkably light and airy. It doesn’t have much flavor or sweetness of its own, but the proximity of the cherries imparts a slightly tart fruitiness. Mostly, you’ll either taste the chocolate layer on top, or the cherry layer underneath. The cream adds silky mouthfeel and texture, but not much past that. It has a pleasantly natural taste and texture — unlike the fake whipped topping used by many desserts of this ilk.
The Morello cherries are delightfully tart. In fact, their tartness is probably my favorite part of this whole dessert. I was expecting them to be soggy and squashy and saccharine, but they are just the right amount of firmness and subtle sweetness. Aldi has avoided over-processing the cherries, so they retain their natural, rich flavor integrity. Most of the cherries are big and whole, which is much more satisfying than merely pieces or puree. The cherries really “sell” this cake.
The chocolate tops of these cakes sweat like crazy while they are thawing. Mine turned into swampy moats. If these cakes were real estate, this would be waterfront living! I ended up blotting the tops carefully with paper towels to absorb the excess condensation. Honestly, the chocolate coating is the most sugary part of the whole dessert. It’s almost shockingly sweet compared to the rest of the cake. I thought it was melted chocolate, but the ingredients described it as “chocolate icing.” Whatever it is, it keeps a smooth, uniform shape across the top of the cake, even after blotting.
The cake is the least enjoyable part of this dessert. I’d describe it as a marbled chocolate and vanilla sponge cake — not the lush pound cake I was expecting. It’s not bad, but it’s kind of flat tasting and almost too dry, despite the abundance of moisture from the cherries. I definitely still enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t serve this dessert to friends or “fancy-family” — it doesn’t quite rise past the level of cheap weeknight treat.
My opinion is that the cake tastes better where it touches the cherries, and worse at the bottom where it has no additional moisture or flavor. I also think it gradually improves in taste the longer it sits, because it allows the cherry juice to migrate through the cake layers. If I was looking for a way to improve this cake at home, I might plate the slices over a dessert sauce, for added moisture and flavor.
Thawing and Serving Instructions for Aldi’s Donauwelle Cakes
These are frozen cakes, so you have to thaw them before serving. The four servings are pre-sliced and packed together in a single cellophane bag. I wish the slices were individually sealed, so I could open them one-by-one for maximum freshness. But, I’ll survive. For single people or couples, these are a convenient, quick dessert option. I like having them on hand for whenever a river-shaped cake craving suddenly strikes.
The instructions say to thaw at room temperature for 3-4 hours. My Florida home is 80 degrees, and it took just over an hour to completely thaw. I personally think these taste better at room temperature and after the cherry juice has had time to really migrate through the cake layers. The cake softens and becomes moister as it sits. If you eat these too cold, the chocolate layer on top is unpleasantly stiff and less tasty, so I don’t recommend chilling before serving. My sister says they taste good frozen, but she’s wrong, and I’m right.
Ingredients in Deutsche Küche Donauwelle Cakes
Here are the ingredients:
- Morello cherries
- Cream
- Sugar
- Water
- Canola oil
- Wheat flour
- Egg
- Chocolate flavored icing (sugar, canola oil, palm oil, medium fat cocoa, soy lecithin, natural flavor)
- Wheat starch
- Food starch-modified
- Dry whole milk
- Dextrose
- Medium fat cocoa
- Natural flavor
- Bovine gelatin
- Whey
- Sodium citrate
- Mono- and diglycerides
- Lactose
- Salt
- Xanthan gum
I was impressed that the first two ingredients are cherries and cream! I also appreciate that there are no preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors in these cakes. The bovine gelatin was a bit of a surprise, so just something to know about if you are vegetarian.
Nutrition Facts in Aldi’s Frozen Donauwelle Cake
A single slice is 4.2 ounces and 320 calories. I found it quite filling. Each slice packs a moderate amount of sugar for a dessert, with 16 grams of added sugar. I like to pretend these have some redemptive nutritional value, due to the cherries. Cherries = fruit. Fruits are healthy, no? Even when we smother them in chocolate, cream, and cake? Come on. Lie to me. Just do it.
Price and Shelf-life
For a 1-pound+ box of cake, this is a really good value. I paid $3.79 for the box of four slices, which is only $0.95 per serving. These are imported from Germany, which feels extra-fancy, even if it isn’t. Mine expire about a year and a half from the date of purchase. I would buy these again. I think. Yes.
More Reviews of Aldi Desserts You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out these other reviews of Aldi bakery desserts I’ve recently written:
- Aldi Fruits of the Forest Strudel (Deutsche Küche)
- Aldi Bienenstich Indulgent Cakes (Deutsche Küche)
Author’s note: I have no affiliation with Aldi, and I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you would like to tell my sister how wrong she is about frozen cake, send me a message, and I’ll gleefully inform her.
