Orange Torte

April is a cake month in our household with two birthdays and Easter. Obviously, each one very special event and with its own unique considerations. For my wife’s birthday she wanted a cake without chocolate. Different I must say at least when comes to what I normally make. My daughter on the other side, would take a chocolate cake any day and perhaps I could fit myself in the same category. However, it was time to try something different and besides my wife’s wish had to be granted. After little research, I picked Orange Torte With Orange Cream Frosting or “Orangentorte” in German. The recipe originates from the Austrian empire and Congress of Vienna of 1815 and was a specialty of Dalmatia, a province along the Adriatic coast. I was born and raised in Dalmatia, evidently long after the empire ceased to exist. Citrus based cakes are common there so I decided to give this old recipe a try.

It is a refreshing and light cake containing only about 60 grams of butter. There is no raising agent and the cake structure is made of whipped egg whites mixed with bread crumbs and ground almonds. I thought it would end up being compact but it turned out soft and moist. It is a delicious in combination with orange frosting and curd. The cake making process is quite simple and very enjoyable. The atmosphere filled with fresh orange scent and my favorite background music made it almost effortless experience.

The recipe is adapted from ” Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafes of Vienna, Budapest and Prague“.

Print Recipe

Orange Torte

A refreshing citrus based cake.

Course

Bake, Dessert

Cuisine

Austrian, Mediterranean

Prep Time

45 minutes

Cook Time

70 minutes

Passive Time

45 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

Torte

• 2/3 cup dried bread crumbs
• 167 g natural almonds 1 2/3 cups equivalent
• 6 large eggs separated
• 170 g granulated sugar, divided 3/4 cup equivalent
• orange zest grated zest of 1/2 organic orange
• 62 ml freshly squeezed orange juice 1/4 cup equivalent

Orange Icing

• 170 g granulated sugar 3/4 cup equivalent
• orange zest grated zest of 1 organic orange
• 125 ml freshly squeezed orange juice 1/2 cup equivalent
• 60 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 tbsp equivalent
• 57 g unsalted butter 1/2 stick equivalent
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 250 ml heavy cream

Course Bake, Dessert Cuisine Austrian, Mediterranean Prep Time 45 minutes Cook Time 70 minutes Passive Time 45 minutes Servings people Ingredients Torte 2/3 cup dried bread crumbs 167 g natural almonds 1 2/3 cups equivalent 6 large eggs separated 170 g granulated sugar, divided 3/4 cup equivalent orange zest grated zest of 1/2 organic orange 62 ml freshly squeezed orange juice 1/4 cup equivalent Orange Icing 170 g granulated sugar 3/4 cup equivalent orange zest grated zest of 1 organic orange 125 ml freshly squeezed orange juice 1/2 cup equivalent 60 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 tbsp equivalent 57 g unsalted butter 1/2 stick equivalent 3 large egg yolks 1 tbsp corn starch 250 ml heavy cream

Instructions

Cake

1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 177°C (350°F).
2. Butter a 230 mm (9") spring-form pan and line the bottom with round of parchment paper. Dust the sides with the bread crumbs and tap out the excess.
3. In a food processor, grind bread crumbs and almonds until very finely ground. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl at high speed, beat the egg yolks and 57 g (1/4 cup) of sugar. Beat the mixture until thick and pale yellow, approximately 3 minutes. Beat in orange zest and juice. Set aside.
5. Separately, beat the egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 113 g (1/2 cup) of sugar until the whites are stiff and shiny.
6. Fold about 1/4 of beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture.
7. Add the almond-crumb mixture and fold a few times, until moistened. Add the remaining whites and fold until the batter is combined. Spread evenly in the baking pan.

   
8. Bake for about 60 minutes or until the cake top springs back when pressed gently in the center.
9. Transfer to wire rack and cool for 5 minutes.
10. Release the cake by running a sharp knife around the pan side. Invert the cake onto cardboard and peel off the parchment paper from the bottom. Turn the cake right side up on the rack and let it cool completely.

Orange Curd

1. Whisk the orange zest and juice, sugar, lemon juice, butter, egg yolks, and cornstarch in the medium sized saucepan. Cook by stirring constantly until reaching a full boil and the mixture is thickened.
2. Transfer to medium size bowl that is placed in a chilled bath and cool down by stirring occasionally. The curd should be cooled and thickened.

Orange Frosting

1. In a chilled medium size bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff.

   
2. Fold in 1/2 of chilled orange curd.

Assembly

1. Cut the torte into two layers. Slip the bottom of the spring-form pan between the layers. Invert the top layer onto the cake plate.
2. Using an offset spatula, spread the remaining 1/2 of the orange curd on the first layer.
3. Top it up with the second layer placed upside down.
4. Frost the top and sides of the torte with the icing. Refrigerate about 1 hour, uncovered, until the icing sets. Cover loosely with a cake dome and chill overnight or for at least 4 hours before serving.
5. Decorate the cake with freshly cut orange slices and serve chilled.

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