Biscuit Torte (Biskuittorte)

This cake is the basis for many of the goodies found in a German Konditori. (This is a wonderful place filled with cakes and pastries of many kinds, a coffee shop if you will). For a quick fix split the cake into 2 or 3 layers, mix 1 tablespoon of instant coffee with 2 cups whipping cream, whip the cream and use to fill and ice the cake. (I like to sweeten the cream as well, but never had it sweetened when I was in Germany) To split the cake, try this: with a knife make a shallow cut all around the cake, lay a thread in the cut, cross the ends and pull the thread in opposite directions.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2  cups sugar
• 8  eggs, separated
• 1  lemon, rind of, grated
• 2⁄3 cup flour, sifted
• 2⁄3 cup cornstarch, sifted
• 1  teaspoon baking powder (optional)
• 1  tablespoon sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F Butter and flour a 8" or 9" spring form pan.
2. Beat egg yolks with 2 cups sugar and lemon rind until very thick and pale.
3. Sift flour and cornstarch together (and baking powder of using).
4. Beat the egg whites, when they begin to thicken beat in 1 T sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks will stand.
5. Add egg yolk onto egg whites, sprinkle with flour mixture and fold together with a rubber scraper gently but thoroughly.
6. Turn batter int prepared pan, bake for about 1 hour, until it springs back when gently pressed with a finger.
7. Cool 15 minutes in the pan then turn it out onto a rack to finish cooling.