Zuger Kirschtorte (Swiss Kirsch Cake)

I have always love my cakes to be with different texture and and preferably soaked with liquor.  This Zuger Kirshtorte consist of all the elements I love plus a layer of creamy Kirsch butter cream.  The best Zuger Kirshtorte I had was at LA Burdick Chocolates in New York City and whenever I am in town I would always call ahead to reserve half a dozen for me and hubby to enjoy while we are there since they do not have them in the store all the time.  It is a layer cake so it will take a little time to prepare each part of the cakes and do make sure that every part is completely cooled before assembling the cake.

Sponge cake:

3 large eggs
90g granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
90g of all purpose flour sifted

• Preheat oven 350 degree. Lightly oil spray a 10in by 7in baking pan
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar and the vanilla sugar
• Using a hand mixer, mix on medium high until the mixture has double its volume and have a very pale white yellow color.  Mixture should be light and fluffy with lots of bubbles on the top.

• Then add sifted all purpose flour and fold into the egg batter
• Bake for about 20 min. until cake is done, sometimes it might take less time depending on your oven
• Once baked take it out and start poking holes on the cake with a toothpick or skewer

Kirsch syrup:

100cc water
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar
150cc Kirsch

• Bring water and sugar to a boil and let it boil until sugar has dissolved
• Take it off the heat and add the Kirsch to the sugar water
• Spoon the warm syrup over the sponge cake
• Flip the soaked cake out of the pan and let cool completely
• Now clean the baking pan and wipe it dry with a towel because we will need to use the same pan to make our Meringue base for the cake

Japonaise (Nut-Meringue base):

Preheat oven to 280 degree, lightly oil spray the same baking pan

3 large egg whites
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
80g granulated sugar
75g grounded almond

• Whisk egg whites and salt in a clean dry bowl until medium stiff peak
• Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peak
• Fold in ground almond

• Spread meringue evenly on to the pan
• Bake for 30 - 40 mins. until top become brown and crisp (I like mine more crisp so I tend to bake it a little longer in the oven)
• Once baked, let it cool in the pan

Kirsch butter cream:

200g butter at room temperature
150g condensed milk (more or less to taste)
2 tsp Kirsch (of course you can put more if you like, no like we do not have enough booze in this cake already)
1 drop of red food coloring

• Mix everything together until creamy and light

Assemble the cake:

• Again make sure every part of the cake is completely cooled
• Spread a thin layer of the butter cream on to the meringue base
• Then put the sponge cake on top of the base
• Spread the rest of the butter cream on top of the sponge cake (or if you like you can pipe the butter cream instead of spreading the cream and make designs with the cream as you please)
• Sprinkle confectioner sugar on the top of the cake
• Cut into pieces and serve