Swedish Torte

This is one of the numerous cakes Kim Higgins is sampling this week as she celebrates a major birthday ending in zero. As a recent breast cancer survivor she is not one to whine about birthdays; as she puts it “the goal is to get old…and I’m getting there!” She is an amazing woman with many friends and we lovingly toast to her good health!

This is a cake I wouldn’t have tried to make if I hadn’t tasted it first. The recipe seems a little odd and complicated, although it really isn’t. I first tasted it at Easter when Cousin Diana’s neighbor, Kandi, walked into brunch and proudly plopped it down in the middle of the kitchen table. It was impressive, and immediately devoured by children and adults alike. Each layer is comprised of a thin layer of cake topped with meringue and nuts, with a filling of whipped cream and strawberries. Yum.

Kandi’s Swedish Torte

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

MERINGUE:

pinch salt

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/4 cup chopped pecans or blanched almonds

FILLING:

1 pint fresh ripe strawberries

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Buttter and flour two ten-inch springform pans.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks with vanilla and continue beating while alternately adding milk, flour, and baking powder. Combine butter mixture into bowl with batter until well blended.   Pour batter into baking pans. (Layers will be VERY thin, you will need to spread with a knife.)

Add salt to egg whites and beat until stiff.  Gradually beat in sugar and almond extract.  Pile half of the meringue on each layer of batter, sprinkle with nuts and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until meringue is dry.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans.

When ready to serve, remove one layer to a serving plate.  Cover with strawberries (sliced if large) and whipped cream.  Place other layer on top, meringue side up.

Yield : 10 servings  (but they will want seconds)

Note : You will need a long knife to slide under the layers to remove the bottom of the springform pan.  Both layers will be meringue side up. This is not as tricky as it sounds.  I was a little worried about making this ahead and transporting it, and used one container of Cool Whip insted of the whipping cream.  It was refrigerated when we arrived and just fine when we ate it hours later.