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The Berry Brita cake from Open Kitchen is one of the most popular recipes in my book, and for good reason. It’s the perfect summer celebration cake. I like to say that it’s Scandinavian in origin because I’ve heard that it hails from Finland — but also from Sweden. I have no idea why it isn't more widely known, because it really is the perfect cake for warm-weather gatherings. It feeds a lot of people, so is a good one to turn to when you’ll be serving a crowd. It demands to be eaten all at once.
For the purposes of this newsletter, I thought I’d try a half batch to see if it would work. For me, it did not, and I’ll tell you why. There was just not enough volume of egg white/sugar mixture to properly whip it — at least in the big bowl of my 6-quart machine. The beater just couldn't get deep enough into the mixture, so the meringue fell flat. If you wanted to make this for a smaller group, I think the best option would be to make the recipe as is, cut the cake in half, and freeze half for another day. The recipe does halve evenly, so if you want to give it a try with a hand mixer or in a smaller machine, let me know how it goes! I baked it in a 9 by 9-inch pan, but I think an 8-inch square would work better. That’s the other thing: There wasn't really enough room to swoop the meringue around.
Are you wondering what I did with the extra cake? I thought so! I rushed it over to my friends who have two small boys while they were recovering from COVID. I hope it brought them some joy.
The recipe has a few steps, but really is simple — and fun! Each step is easy, and you just keep layering it up until you have a stack of the best textures and flavors you can imagine. I like my desserts a little less sweet and with a little more flavor, so I tweaked the traditional version a bit. I found that lemon zest really perks up the flavor of the butter cake, and that its tartness enhances the berries. I also like to use crème fraîche in combination with the heavy cream for the whipped cream layer — again, to add a little tang. The cream is not sweetened at all because there is enough sugar in the cake, meringue, and berries! The slightly tangy cream is a nice contrast to all of that.
If you are making this for a party or event, you can certainly make the cake at least a few hours if not the day before you plan to serve it, but you want to macerate the berries no more than one hour ahead and assemble the whole thing as close to serving time as humanly possible. That said, leftovers are not terrible the next day, as the cake will soak up the juices from the berries and still be delicious.
I’ve gotten a lot of questions about this cake over the years, so let me try to answer them here. You are making a layered sheet cake (traditionally it’s cut in half and layered one half on top of the other, but I prefer my slightly-neater-to-slice-and-eat version). Making it sheet-cake style also allows you to showcase the berries on top. I actually shot it as a layered cake for my book, and then decided I didn't really like the shot or the presentation, so we reshot it. I’m so happy we did, because it’s one of my favorite photos in the book.
First you make the butter cake layer, spread it in the pan, and set it aside. Next, you wash your mixer bowl REALLY WELL, then whip up the meringue and spread it on top of the unbaked cake layer. After that you bake the whole thing, which only takes about 25 minutes because it’s so shallow. Don't expect a crispy hard meringue like baked meringues — or for it to be chewy and crispy like a pavlova. It’s a soft but still flaky meringue and has kind of a marshmallow-y effect because of the moisture in the cake. It looks so beautiful when it comes out of the oven, I promise you will be pleased.
At this point, you let the cake cool. I’ve made it up to one day ahead of time. Just wrap it carefully once it’s completely cool, and store it at room temperature. Since it’s strawberry season, today’s cake is all about strawberries, but you can use any mix of berries you like. I like to include at least some strawberries because that’s where the wonderful red syrup comes from. If you haven't made this cake yet, now is the time!
Tips for success:
My number one tip when making meringue of any kind is to make sure there is absolutely no grease that comes in contact with the egg whites.
Wash your hands well before beginning.
Wash the bowl and the whip well with soapy hot water, and dry completely.
Make sure there’s no greasy gunk stuck to the mixer head that could fall in!
For extra insurance, wipe the bowl out with a paper towel moistened with white vinegar.
When you separate eggs, remove even the tiniest speck of yolk if any gets into the egg white.
Separate eggs in your (squeaky clean) hands, rather than from shell to shell. It works better and is less likely to break the yolk.
The meringue mixture is strong and stable due to the high ratio of sugar, making it hard to over-beat. Make sure you beat it long enough! Have no fear!
On the other hand, make sure you DON'T over-beat the cream. I use my machine to whip the cream, but I always stop short of when I think it’s fully whipped then use the whip attachment to finish whipping by hand. This gives you more control. You want softly mounding cream that just holds its shape.
Have any more questions? Leave them in the comments and I’ll get back to you ASAP!
Strawberry Brita Cake
Serves 10 to 12
This is a Nordic cake that seems to be little known in the United States, but I was intrigued by the meringue-topped butter cake ever since I first laid eyes on it years ago. When I say meringue-topped, I mean the meringue is spread right on top of the raw cake batter, and they are then baked together, creating a two-layer cake. Just think of it as a variation on strawberry shortcake. You could also top this with juicy peaches. Ideally this cake should be assembled right before serving and eaten all at once, so save it for those times when you are having a big party.
For the cake:
1 ¼ cups (160g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups (302g) sugar, divided
4 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 lemon, preferably organic, scrubbed
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the berries:
1 ½ to 2 pounds strawberries (or any mix of seasonal berries)
1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Aperol or St. Germain (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces crème fraîche
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch pan. Press a piece of parchment paper large enough to go up the sides of the pan on all sides into the pan, running your hand across the bottom to adhere it. Butter the bottom of the parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a stand mixer on medium-high speed, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and beat to combine well. Zest the lemon directly into the bowl and beat briefly to combine. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture, then the milk, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined, scraping once or twice. Spread in the prepared pan and set aside.
Wash and dry the bowl thoroughly, and, using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup sugar and beat on high speed until stiff and glossy. Beat in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spoon on top of the cake batter, spreading almost to the edges.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meringue is beginning to turn golden and the cake is done. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out dry. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Lift the parchment by the corners and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
To make the berries: When getting ready to serve, hull and halve strawberries and toss with the sugar and Aperol. Let sit until juicy, 15 to 20 minutes. Combine the cream, crème fraîche, and vanilla paste in a clean mixer bowl and whip until softly mounding but holding its shape. Spread the cream on top of the cake, and top with the berries. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Serve immediately!
