Blitz Torte is a big, gorgeous dessert that is full of fantastic taste and texture. Meringue baked right on top of the perfect yellow cake batter, and assembled with whipped cream, lemon curd and raspberries.
I have been wanting to make this double decker beauty ever since it appeared on the cover for an issue of Cook’s Country magazine. And let me tell you I am in heaven with this dessert! Blitz Torte is new to me, but comes from fancy beginnings in Germany where fabulous dessert concoctions are the norm. This blitz torte combines yellow cake with meringue that is brilliantly baked together. The only thing better than taking a bite into this crunchy and tender meringue-cake with sliced almonds is the custard in the middle that is whipped cream, lemon curd and citrus-raspberries.
This blitz torte may seem daunting, but you can make the lemon curd several days ahead of time (or use store bought, if you must… and if you can find it!), and the meringue-cake layers can be baked and stored at room temperature up to 24 hours in advance. The custard center is just stiff enough to help the cake not cave in the center when cutting.
Blitz Torte
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1 teaspoon gelatin, unflavored
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup lemon curd
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice, or Grand Marnier orange liqueur
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
For the Cake:
- ½ cup whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks, save whites for meringue
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups plus, 5 ounces cake flour
- 1 cup plus, 7 ounces sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
For the Meringue:
- 4 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup plus, 6 ounces of sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
For the filling:
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon gelatin over 2 Tablespoons water in small bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, 15 to 30 seconds. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, combine 1 cup heavy cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla on low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and whip until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
- Whisk ½ cup lemon curd in large metal bowl to loosen. Gently fold whipped cream mixture into lemon curd. Refrigerate whipped cream filling while preparing rest of the torte. (Filling may look slightly curdled before assembling cake.)
For the Cake:
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 2 light-colored 9-inch round cake pans*, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans.
- Beat ½ cup whole milk, 4 yolks, and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla together with a fork in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix 1 ¼ cup plus, 5 oz. cake flour, 1 cup plus, 7 ounces sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the 12 Tablespoons butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute. Add half the milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds (mixture may look curdled). Give batter a final stir by hand. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and spread into even layer using small offset spatula.
For the Meringue:
- Using a clean, dry mixer bowl and whisk, whip 4 egg whites and ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, 1 to 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla and whip until incorporated.
- Divide meringue evenly between cake pans and spread evenly over cake batter to about ½ inch of edge of pan. Use back of spoon to create peaks in meringue. Sprinkle meringue with almonds. Bake cakes until meringue is golden and has pulled away from sides of pan, 50 to 55 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool completely in pans on wire rack. (Cakes can be baked up to 24 hours in advance and stored, uncovered, in pans at room temperature.)
- To finish the filling, 10 minutes before assembling cake, combine 1 cup raspberries, 2 Tablespoons liqueur or orange juice, and 1 Tablespoon sugar in bowl and let sit, stirring occasionally. (The sugar/juice might cake up on the raspberries a little bit.)
- Gently take a dull knife and slide it around the cake to help separate from the pan. Gently remove cakes, discarding parchment. Place 1 cake layer on platter, meringue side up. Spread half of whipped cream filling evenly over top of meringue. Using slotted spoon, spoon raspberries evenly over filling, leaving juice, if any, in bowl. Gently spread remaining whipped cream filling over raspberries, covering raspberries completely. Top with second cake layer, meringue side up. Serve cake within 4 hours of assembly.
Cook's Note:
- *If using dark-colored non-stick cake pans, reduce oven temperature to 300F degrees and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Recipe slightly adapted from Cook’s Country Magazine.
Hi Sally,
I just wanted to let you know that I have been baking this torte for about two years now. It’s a lot of work so I generally just make it for special occasions – but boy is it worth the effort. People love it. Wonderful recipe and thanks for sharing the recipe.
Helen, you just made my entire week. It’s so great to hear from people who have been making a recipe for awhile, and I’m so glad you took the time to stop by. I agree, the Torte is for special occasions (at my house, too). I’m glad you find it worth the effort. Thanks again for letting me know that you enjoy the recipe, it means a lot.
Hi can you give me a gram measurement for the butter please. Different countries use different measures for a tablespoon eg 12.5 ml or 15 ml?
Hi Karin, the butter comes out as 172 grams.
I know this is an older recipe, but I just made this cake and was confused by the new measurements… Dry ingredients measured in ounces usually refer to the weight, not liquid ounces. So 10 ounces by weight is way too much flour–I think the original Cook’s Illustrated weights are accurate (1 1/4c flour = 5 ounces, 1c sugar = 7 ounces). I’ve never seen a baking recipe that measures dry ingredients in liquid ounces 🙂
Hi Morgan, You are correct. I’ve checked the actual Cooks Country recipe and have made the adjustments. Thanks for the heads up.
Can I freeze, if pre-sliced?
Mike, I haven’t done this and I’m not sure how the torte will hold up if you freeze it. Sorry I can’t help you with this.
I’ve been making this cake for years, although the recipe I have does not have the lemon curd. Should be interesting to try the lemon. I bet it will be great.
I generally make the cake in advance and freeze the layers while still in their pans. They freeze great!
Hi Barb, I like the idea of freezing the layers. Thanks for the tip!
Can you bake it as one whole cake instead of two?
Absolutely :). You could bake it in 9×13 pan.
Beautiful, thanks for the recipe!