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Zuger Kirschtorte
Kirsch meringue sponge cake
Zuger Kirschtorte: Zug almond meringue and sponge cake soaked in kirsch syrup
SwissThe Zuger Kirschtorte was created in 1915 by the confectioner Heinrich Höhn in Zug, a lakeside town at the heart of Swiss cherry country, and it is still sold in the town's cake shops: two crisp almond meringue discs sandwiching a light sponge soaked in kirsch syrup, all held together with pink-tinted buttercream and coated in toasted almonds and icing sugar. This cake contains alcohol (kirsch, a cherry brandy); for an alcohol-free version, use the cherry juice swap in the ingredient note. A common mistake is soaking the sponge until soggy; it should be moist but hold its shape. Chef's tip: bake the meringue discs until dry and crisp, so they stay crunchy against the soft buttercream.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the meringue discs
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- 3 ½ oz ground almonds
- 1 tbsp cornflour
For the sponge
- 3 eggs
- 3 ⅛ oz sugar
- 3 ⅛ oz plain flour
For the buttercream
- 7 oz soft butter
- 5 ½ oz icing sugar
- 1 drop red food colouring
To finish
- 2 ⅞ oz flaked almondstoasted
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 300°F (fan 275°F). Draw two 24 cm circles on baking paper. Whisk 4 egg whites to stiff peaks, whisk in 5 ½ oz sugar, then fold in 3 ½ oz ground almonds and 1 tbsp cornflour. Spread on the circles and bake for 50 minutes, until dry and crisp. Cool.
50 minStep 2: Raise the oven to 350°F (fan 325°F). Whisk 3 eggs and 3 ⅛ oz sugar until thick and pale, fold in 3 ⅛ oz plain flour and bake in a 24 cm tin for 20 minutes. Cool.
20 minStep 4: Beat 7 oz soft butter, 5 ½ oz icing sugar and 1 drop red food colouring until fluffy and pale pink. Mix in 1 tbsp of the syrup.
Step 5: Spread a meringue disc with buttercream, top with the sponge and soak it with the syrup. Common mistake: soaking it too much; it goes soggy.
Step 6: Spread with buttercream, top with the second meringue disc, flat side up, and cover the top and sides with buttercream.
Step 7: Press 2 ⅞ oz flaked almonds onto the sides, dust the top with 2 tbsp icing sugar and mark a diamond pattern with a knife. Chill 2 hours.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zuger Kirschtorte take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ground almonds?
- Ground cashews, same amount.
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