The light and fluffy texture of the soft, yellow cake layers with alternating meringue and raspberry whipped cream resemble the airy clouds in the sky. Topped with sliced golden almonds for a bit of delicate crunch and flavor, this cake is memorable and is absolutely a celebration cake. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy. We love meringue recipes from Boccone Dolce Cake, melt-in-your-mouth Meringue Shell Cookies, or even a simple Eton Mess– they are so delicate and satisfying. If you are a fan of delicate, sweet meringue, you have got to make this Himmelstorte – Heaven Cake recipe!
Himmelstorte (Heaven Cake)
My husband and I first tried this cake while on vacation for our 20th wedding anniversary (Wow, 20 years of marriage has gone by so quickly, time sure flies when you’re having fun!). This Himmelstorte was love at first bite. After finding a recipe (in English – that was tricky!) and adding our own touches to the recipe, here is why we love it:
Light and airy dessert, which is great during the summer or after a large meal Make ahead – The cake layers can be prepped ahead of time Easy to assemble and decorate Customizable – The fruit in the filling can be easily changed to your taste
Himmelstorte -Meringue Cake Video
Between the cake, meringue, and whipped cream, there might seem like there is a lot of mixing, but you will be surprised at how easy it is to make this Himmelstorte recipe. Your stand mixer does most of the work – Watch Natasha make this recipe and see for yourself!
What is Himmelstorte?
Himmelstorte is a German cake recipe with many names and closely related variations. It is also called Heaven Cake (in German Himmel- sky/heaven + torte- cake), Hannchen-Jensen Torte (giving credit to the recipe’s creator), or even Schwimmbadtorte (Swimming Pool Cake). Hanna Jensen ran a Bed and Breakfast on Germany’s North Sea coast. She was known to serve tea and this two-tier meringue, fruit, and whipped cream cake to her guests- and the happy guests shared her recipe around the globe. As with many recipes, there can be discrepancies in the origin, ingredients, or flavors and this recipe is no different. No matter what you call this dessert, the essential features of Himmelstorte are the light and airy layers of cake, meringue, whipped cream, and fruit. This recipe Is loosely based on Luisa Weiss’ recipe from her cookbook, Classic German Baking.
Ingredients
Pull your eggs and dairy out to bring to room temperature and get your stand mixer ready because there is a lot of mixing to do in this Himmelstorte recipe.
For the meringue cake layers:
Butter – unsalted, softened Sugar – for sweetness Eggs – room temperature, separated into egg whites and egg yolks Vanilla – we like to use our homemade vanilla for the best taste Flour – all-purpose or gluten-free if you prefer Baking powder – leavening ingredient Salt – fine sea salt to enhance the flavor of the cake and meringue Milk – room temperature, and you can use whole milk or low-fat Confectioners’ sugar – to sweeten the meringue, plus more to dust the top Sliced almonds – add a delicate crunch to this light and airy recipe
For the raspberry whipped cream:
Heavy whipping cream – the fat content adds structure and light and airy texture after whipping Sugar – to sweeten the whipped cream Vanilla – for the signature flavor of whipped cream Raspberries – divided, keep a handful to garnish the top of your cake
How to Make Himmelstorte
To make the cake and meringue layers:
Prepare – Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and line the bottoms and sides of two, 9-inch round cake pans or springform pans with parchment paper. Add a little butter under the parchment strips where they overlap to keep them in place. Mix the cake ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Next, add vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine – Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on medium/low speed just until well incorporated. While mixing, drizzle in the milk and mix until blended. Divide the batter between your prepared cake pans and spread evenly in the bottom. The batter will be thick. Make your meringue – Clean the bowl of your stand mixer and beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Increase to medium-high speed and add a pinch of salt then gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth, glossy, and thick with nearly stiff peaks, about 3-4 minutes. Divide meringue into your 2 cake pans and spread evenly. Using the back of a spoon, make peaks and mounds then sprinkle the top with almonds. Bake – Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until meringue and almonds are golden. The meringue will not be fully dried out. Remove from the oven and cool the pans on wire racks until room temperature then remove the cakes from the pans.
Raspberry whipped cream filling and assembly:
Variations of Himmelstorte
While there are many variations of this recipe, the most commonly found version is Himmelstorte mit himbeeren, or Heaven Cake with Raspberries. Other delicious substitution options based on your taste include:
Berries – blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries (pitted and halved), or poached gooseberries Citrus fruits – the original recipe used 2 cans of drained and halved mandarin oranges Tropical fruits – kiwi, pineapple, mango cut into small bite-sized pieces Stone fruits – apricots, peaches, nectarines Fruit compote – a mix of your favorite fruits reduced to a compote, or use your favorite jam
Make this Himmelstort recipe for a birthday, baby shower, bridal shower, anniversary… or any excuse you can find to taste your own slice of heaven. Make the whipped cream filling and assemble your Himmelstorte preferably within 2 hours of serving the cake.
To Refrigerate: Cover any leftover cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Freezing: We do not recommend freezing this cake, as the meringue is quite fragile and the moisture could damage it when thawing.
More Meringue Recipes
If you love this Himmelstorte – Heaven Cake recipe, then you won’t want to miss these other meringue recipes.
Meringue Acorns With Salted Pistachios Eton Mess Tiramisu Yule Log Meringue and Raspberry Baskets Rakushki Cookies
