Norwegian The World’s Best Cake (Verdens Beste Kake)

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes:

• Butter. Use butter with at least 82% fat content (standard European style). The butter should be softened to room temperature, not melted or greasy.
• Sugar. For the cake batter and meringue, it’s best to use caster sugar as it dissolves more easily. For the frosting, powdered sugar (icing sugar) is a must—even fine granulated sugar won’t have a chance to dissolve in the cold cream cheese mixture.
• Flour. Use standard all-purpose flour with a protein content of around 10%. Avoid “strong” bread flours, as they won’t give you the tender crumb we’re looking for.
• Eggs. Use medium-sized eggs (roughly 50-55 without shell each). Eggs should be at room temperature to whip up properly. If you’re short on time, place the eggs in a bowl of warm tap water for about 15 minutes.
• Cream сheese. Go for a full-fat, firm cream cheese to ensure the frosting holds its shape. As an alternative, you can use Mascarpone, though it will change the flavor profile slightly.
• Heavy сream. Use only heavy whipping cream with at least 30–35% fat. Remember, the cream must be thoroughly chilled before whipping.
• Nuts. Traditionally, this cake is made with flaked almonds. I substituted them with chopped cashews, and it turned out fantastic! Feel free to choose between almonds or cashews. Hazelnuts are another great option.

Let’s start cooking!

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

Prepare the batter.

Cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. It’s normal for the sugar not to dissolve completely.

Add the egg yolks to the mixture and beat again.

Add the milk and beat again. Then add the flour, which has been sifted with salt and baking powder, and mix to form a cake batter.

Set the batter aside and prepare the meringue.

Combine the egg whites with a pinch of salt and start whisking on a medium speed. Gradually increase the speed, adding the sugar a little at a time. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

Transfer the batter to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it out evenly.

Spread the meringue on top, distributing it evenly, and then create a slightly textured surface using a spatula or spoon.

Sprinkle the meringue with chopped nuts or almond flakes.

Place in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) without convection and bake for about 30–35 minutes. The meringue will rise during baking and deflate as it cools — this is normal.

Cut the finished cake in half and leave to cool completely.

Make the filling. To do this, combine cold cream cheese with cold heavy cream and whip together. Add the powdered sugar at the end.

Spread the frosting evenly over one half of the cake layer. The easiest way to do this is to pipe it using a pastry bag.

Place the second half of the cake layer on top.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Then slice and serve.

For the best flavor, leave the cake to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

This Norwegian The World’s Best Cake (Verdens Beste Kake) recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
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