Blitz Torte

5 from 2 votes

A big, gorgeous, many-layered dessert made up of cake, meringue, whipped cream, lemon curd and fruit. The cake and meringue bake together for convenience and to reduce several steps. Impressively beautiful, delightfully tasty.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Total Time2

Course: Dessert

Servings:

Calories: 467kcal

Author: Sally Humeniuk

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.

Nutrition