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Prep Time:1 hrAdditional Time:1 hrTotal Time:2 hrsServings:8Yield:8 slicesJump to Nutrition Facts
Prep Time:1 hrAdditional Time:1 hrTotal Time:2 hrsServings:8Yield:8 slices
Prep Time:1 hr
Prep Time:
1 hr
Additional Time:1 hr
Additional Time:
Total Time:2 hrs
Total Time:
2 hrs
Servings:8
Servings:
8
Yield:8 slices
Yield:
8 slices
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
I come from a long line of women who hate baking. My mother is the sort of strange specimen who would choose to take a food replacement pill three times a day if it meant she never had to use an oven again. And every time my mother’s mother was obligated to get near a bowl of butter and sugar, my grandmother’s mood soured into a dark, angry energy that pushed everyone out of the house.
So when I went to culinary school and opened a bakery in New York City, the whole family scratched their heads. If a knack for baking is a recessive trait, it leapfrogged over two generations before appearing again in me. There was only ever one baker in my maternal family: my great-grandmother Louise.
Brooke Siem
The tradition in the new family was that on your birthday, Louise would make the cake of your choice. My grandfather always chose ablitz torte, an unconventional German-American layer cake that translates into “lightning cake.” Made with a buttery, almost cookie-like cake, creamy orange curd, crisp meringue and a sprinkling of crunchy almonds, the cake is economical in that only a handful of ingredients come together to create a medley of textures. Egg whites go in the meringue. The yolks go in the cake. Both the zest and juice from a single orange flavor the curd. The rest is just flour, sugar, salted butter and a splash of vanilla. Simple enough, right?
After my grandparents married, my grandmother inherited the responsibility of making the birthday blitz torte. As a traditional wife in 1950, she felt that it was her obligation. But there was a catch: My great-grandmother Louise and her new daughter-in-law did not get along. So when my grandmother asked her mother-in-law for the special birthday recipe, Louise refused to share it.
When Louise finally surrendered the recipe a few years later, under considerable pressure from her son, she secretly altered the recipe. For the next 60 years, the cake collapsed into itself. Or it fell apart and had to be served with a spoon. Or it would be so dense and hard that my grandfather would flare his nostrils, smack his lips and announce that a cake slathered in orange curd was somehow, “a little dry.”
When my grandmother died in 2008, my mother took over the task of making the annual blitz torte. Every March, as was tradition, my mother’s mood soured as she followed the handwritten recipe that my grandmother had meticulously copied onto an index card from Louise’s instructions. Right on schedule, the cake collapsed into 2 inches of dry yet goopy mess. And every year my grandfather complained. The blitz torte curse lived on.
But a few years ago, I happened to be at home in Reno when my mother was making the cake. She raised an eyebrow, untied her apron and announced, “You’re a professional chef. You make the cake.” Then she squealed and skipped out of the kitchen.
As I read through the recipe, I stumbled across a curious note: the recipe specified that the cake layer was to be made first and that the meringue should then be whipped in the same bowl. But as anyone who has worked with meringues knows, egg whites don’t hold up if the bowl has even a trace of fat.
And so I changed the method of the recipe, swapping the steps and cleaning the bowl with a splash of white vinegar to ensure that not a trace of fat remained. For the first time in almost 70 years, my grandfather got the cake of his childhood. The cake was light and creamy and delicate and dense—my grandfather’s spoon cracked through the crisp yet pillowy meringue and a smile stretched across his face. He took a bite, and his 92-year-old eyes twinkled. “This is the best blitz torte I’ve ever had,” he said, and cut himself a second piece.
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)IngredientsMeringue½teaspoondistilled white vinegar, plus more for wiping utensils4largeegg whites, at room temperature1cupsugar1 ¼teaspoonsvanillaCake1 ⅓cupsall-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling1tablespoonplus 1 teaspoon baking powder¼cupbutter, at room temperature½cupsugar4largeegg yolks, at room temperature2tablespoonsmilk or nondairy milk1cupslivered almonds, dividedOrange Curd Filling1orange¼cupbutter, at room temperature½cupplus 2 tablespoons sugar2large eggs, at room temperature
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
Meringue
½teaspoondistilled white vinegar, plus more for wiping utensils
4largeegg whites, at room temperature
1cupsugar
1 ¼teaspoonsvanilla
Cake
1 ⅓cupsall-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
1tablespoonplus 1 teaspoon baking powder
¼cupbutter, at room temperature
½cupsugar
4largeegg yolks, at room temperature
2tablespoonsmilk or nondairy milk
1cupslivered almonds, divided
Orange Curd Filling
1orange
½cupplus 2 tablespoons sugar
2large eggs, at room temperature
DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans (see Equipment Tip).To prepare meringue: Wipe a bit of vinegar over the whisk attachment and mixing bowl of a stand mixer to ensure it’s completely clean and free from any lingering fat residue. (Alternatively, you can use a handheld electric mixer.) Add egg whites to the bowl, making sure there’s no yolk; beat on low speed until they bubble and begin to froth. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until they are foamy and doubled in size. With the mixer running, gradually add 1 cup sugar, 1 heaping teaspoon at a time. When all the sugar has been added, turn off the mixer and give the sides of the bowl a quick scrape. Then beat on medium-high until the meringue is smooth and glossy with stiff peaks. Add vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar; beat until just incorporated. Transfer the meringue to a clean bowl and set aside.To prepare cake: Swap out or rinse your mixing bowl and switch the mixer’s whisk attachment for the paddle attachment. Whisk flour and baking powder in a small bowl; set aside.With the mixer on medium speed, beat 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and creamy. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well between each. Add milk; scrape the sides of the bowl, if necessary. (It’s OK if the batter curdles a little.) With the mixer running, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. The batter will be thick and sticky, like a soft cookie dough.Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Sprinkle some flour over the top and use your fingers to press the batter evenly across the bottom of the pans. If the batter sticks to your fingers, add more flour. The layer will be quite thin and should not be sticky.Divide the meringue and spread half on top of each cake layer, smoothing out the tops. Sprinkle 1/2 cup almonds over the top of each meringue.Just before you place the cakes in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes, taking care not to open the oven while they bake.Meanwhile, prepare orange curd: Zest and juice orange, setting the zest aside for later (you should have 1/4 cup juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest; reserve any extra for another use). Beat butter and sugar with the mixer on medium speed until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Add the orange juice and mix until combined. (The mixture may curdle, but it will smooth out as it cooks.)Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water (see Tip); cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest. Set aside to cool.When the cakes have baked for 25 minutes, turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Leave the cakes in the gradually cooling oven for 10 minutes, then let cool in the pans on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes more.When you’re ready to assemble the torte, gently remove the cake layers from the pans (almond-side up). Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread the cooled orange curd on top, then carefully place the second layer on top. Serve immediately or refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.To make aheadRefrigerate the orange curd (Steps 8-9) in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before assembling the cake. Refrigerate the finished cake, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.EquipmentTwo 9-inch aluminum or stainless-steel (not nonstick) cake pans or cheesecake pans with straight sides and removable bottoms. Alternatively, use springform pans (make sure they’re not nonstick), or use disposable 9-inch foil pie pans and carefully cut and peel the edges away to remove the baked cakes.TipTo improvise a double boiler, bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Then set a medium or large metal bowl over the simmering water. Allow at least 1 inch of space between the water and the bottom of the bowl.EatingWell.com, May 2020
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans (see Equipment Tip).To prepare meringue: Wipe a bit of vinegar over the whisk attachment and mixing bowl of a stand mixer to ensure it’s completely clean and free from any lingering fat residue. (Alternatively, you can use a handheld electric mixer.) Add egg whites to the bowl, making sure there’s no yolk; beat on low speed until they bubble and begin to froth. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until they are foamy and doubled in size. With the mixer running, gradually add 1 cup sugar, 1 heaping teaspoon at a time. When all the sugar has been added, turn off the mixer and give the sides of the bowl a quick scrape. Then beat on medium-high until the meringue is smooth and glossy with stiff peaks. Add vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar; beat until just incorporated. Transfer the meringue to a clean bowl and set aside.To prepare cake: Swap out or rinse your mixing bowl and switch the mixer’s whisk attachment for the paddle attachment. Whisk flour and baking powder in a small bowl; set aside.With the mixer on medium speed, beat 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and creamy. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well between each. Add milk; scrape the sides of the bowl, if necessary. (It’s OK if the batter curdles a little.) With the mixer running, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. The batter will be thick and sticky, like a soft cookie dough.Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Sprinkle some flour over the top and use your fingers to press the batter evenly across the bottom of the pans. If the batter sticks to your fingers, add more flour. The layer will be quite thin and should not be sticky.Divide the meringue and spread half on top of each cake layer, smoothing out the tops. Sprinkle 1/2 cup almonds over the top of each meringue.Just before you place the cakes in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes, taking care not to open the oven while they bake.Meanwhile, prepare orange curd: Zest and juice orange, setting the zest aside for later (you should have 1/4 cup juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest; reserve any extra for another use). Beat butter and sugar with the mixer on medium speed until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Add the orange juice and mix until combined. (The mixture may curdle, but it will smooth out as it cooks.)Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water (see Tip); cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest. Set aside to cool.When the cakes have baked for 25 minutes, turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Leave the cakes in the gradually cooling oven for 10 minutes, then let cool in the pans on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes more.When you’re ready to assemble the torte, gently remove the cake layers from the pans (almond-side up). Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread the cooled orange curd on top, then carefully place the second layer on top. Serve immediately or refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.To make aheadRefrigerate the orange curd (Steps 8-9) in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before assembling the cake. Refrigerate the finished cake, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.EquipmentTwo 9-inch aluminum or stainless-steel (not nonstick) cake pans or cheesecake pans with straight sides and removable bottoms. Alternatively, use springform pans (make sure they’re not nonstick), or use disposable 9-inch foil pie pans and carefully cut and peel the edges away to remove the baked cakes.TipTo improvise a double boiler, bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Then set a medium or large metal bowl over the simmering water. Allow at least 1 inch of space between the water and the bottom of the bowl.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans (see Equipment Tip).
To prepare meringue: Wipe a bit of vinegar over the whisk attachment and mixing bowl of a stand mixer to ensure it’s completely clean and free from any lingering fat residue. (Alternatively, you can use a handheld electric mixer.) Add egg whites to the bowl, making sure there’s no yolk; beat on low speed until they bubble and begin to froth. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until they are foamy and doubled in size. With the mixer running, gradually add 1 cup sugar, 1 heaping teaspoon at a time. When all the sugar has been added, turn off the mixer and give the sides of the bowl a quick scrape. Then beat on medium-high until the meringue is smooth and glossy with stiff peaks. Add vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar; beat until just incorporated. Transfer the meringue to a clean bowl and set aside.
To prepare cake: Swap out or rinse your mixing bowl and switch the mixer’s whisk attachment for the paddle attachment. Whisk flour and baking powder in a small bowl; set aside.
With the mixer on medium speed, beat 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and creamy. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well between each. Add milk; scrape the sides of the bowl, if necessary. (It’s OK if the batter curdles a little.) With the mixer running, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. The batter will be thick and sticky, like a soft cookie dough.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Sprinkle some flour over the top and use your fingers to press the batter evenly across the bottom of the pans. If the batter sticks to your fingers, add more flour. The layer will be quite thin and should not be sticky.
Divide the meringue and spread half on top of each cake layer, smoothing out the tops. Sprinkle 1/2 cup almonds over the top of each meringue.
Just before you place the cakes in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes, taking care not to open the oven while they bake.
Meanwhile, prepare orange curd: Zest and juice orange, setting the zest aside for later (you should have 1/4 cup juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest; reserve any extra for another use). Beat butter and sugar with the mixer on medium speed until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Add the orange juice and mix until combined. (The mixture may curdle, but it will smooth out as it cooks.)
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water (see Tip); cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest. Set aside to cool.
When the cakes have baked for 25 minutes, turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Leave the cakes in the gradually cooling oven for 10 minutes, then let cool in the pans on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes more.
When you’re ready to assemble the torte, gently remove the cake layers from the pans (almond-side up). Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread the cooled orange curd on top, then carefully place the second layer on top. Serve immediately or refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.
To make aheadRefrigerate the orange curd (Steps 8-9) in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before assembling the cake. Refrigerate the finished cake, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.
To make ahead
Refrigerate the orange curd (Steps 8-9) in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before assembling the cake. Refrigerate the finished cake, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.
EquipmentTwo 9-inch aluminum or stainless-steel (not nonstick) cake pans or cheesecake pans with straight sides and removable bottoms. Alternatively, use springform pans (make sure they’re not nonstick), or use disposable 9-inch foil pie pans and carefully cut and peel the edges away to remove the baked cakes.
Equipment
Two 9-inch aluminum or stainless-steel (not nonstick) cake pans or cheesecake pans with straight sides and removable bottoms. Alternatively, use springform pans (make sure they’re not nonstick), or use disposable 9-inch foil pie pans and carefully cut and peel the edges away to remove the baked cakes.
TipTo improvise a double boiler, bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Then set a medium or large metal bowl over the simmering water. Allow at least 1 inch of space between the water and the bottom of the bowl.
Tip
To improvise a double boiler, bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Then set a medium or large metal bowl over the simmering water. Allow at least 1 inch of space between the water and the bottom of the bowl.
EatingWell.com, May 2020
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)446Calories15gFat71gCarbs7gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
