Oma's German Blitz Torte Recipe ~ Lightning Cake

➤ by Gerhild Fulson

This German Blitz Torte recipe is such a quick and easy cake to make! Even though this recipe looks long and complicated, it isn't. Blitz Torte can be whipped together quickly with ingredients you probably already have on hand and the results are yummy!

I'm including two recipes for different fillings: My Mutti's custard one and my (Oma's ... that's me!) whipped cream one. Check out both and you decide!

For something even more special, add strawberries or other berries to the filling. Decorate this German Blitz Torte with whipped cream and more berries - a real treat! Yes, this is a quick German recipe at its BEST!

Blitz Torte aka ...

There are so many different names for this cake (or ones very similar) such as Berliner Luft Torte (Berlin Air Torte), Himmelstorte (Heaven's Torte), Tausenblättertorte (Thousand Leaves Torte), Jensen Torte, Jensen Hansen Torte, and even Schwimmbadtorte (Swimming Pool Torte)!

Personally, I like Blitz Torte, which is what I grew up with. Why? Blitz means lightning or with lightning speed, and that's what this cake is. Speedy to make! And, speedy to eat! 

Changing Mutti's recipe ...

Below is the first time I made Mutti's Blitz Torte and filled it with whipped cream. This is the only way I've made it since then! So easy and so good!

I use a cake ring to put around the layers when I'm 'building' the final cake. Keeps everything nice and contained. Not necessary, but nice.

Pride comes before the fall!

This German Blitz Torte recipe is one cake that I made when I was still quite young and wanted to impress my friends. Nothing quite like showing off with a cake that looks so difficult, tastes so good, and at the same time, so easy to make.

However, I have to admit, showing off is not good. It leads to embarrassing situations. When I was eleven and staying at my Aunt's who lived on the other side of the Ontario, I figured I would show her what a great baker I was. I had this Blitz Torte recipe memorized.

So I started out. What I didn't know, though, was that there were certain rules on how to make meringue. At home I never had any problems. I always used a clean bowl and clean beaters when making this meringue recipe because my Mutti had more than one set.

At my Aunt's, I needed to reuse the beaters I had just used to make the batter. I quickly rinsed them and started to use them. My Aunt tried to tell me that I needed to really clean the beaters to make sure there was no grease of any kind on them. I told her it didn't matter. OH, how I wish I would have listened to her!

Of course, the egg whites wouldn't beat up with the contamination of the batter in them. I needed to start the meringue over with 4 new egg whites in a very clean bowl with very clean beaters. I learned my lesson on PRIDE that day!

Also, I learned to make the Meringue first and then put in the fridge. Then make the batter. No chance of contamination!

Above is my Muti's Blitz Torte recipe that has the custard filling. It's what I grew up with and is delicious. A bit more work the just using the heavy (whipping) cream. You choose which you like!

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Lydia Remembers...

I have so many wunderbar memories in the kitchen with my Oma, and have had MANY of her most popular and traditional recipes, like this German Blitz Torte! 

I'm a big fan of sweets and cakes, and Oma's blitz torte is no exception. The flavors she incorporates are just immaculate. It makes the most perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee. 

The thing I love most about this cake is that it's so light! It may look thick and heavy, but it really is so light and creamy, which is always better...it just means you'll have room for more than one piece! 

Trust me, if you make this for your next family get-together, you'll be turning heads! You may hear a few "Oos and ahhs" too. ;)

Learn a little bit about me, Lydia, and my kitchen adventures with Oma!

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Ready to make this Blitz Torte?

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