Equipment
Ingredients
Torte Batter
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking powder
- 2 g salt
- 1 lemon, zested
Fruit and Topping
- 300 g fresh blueberries, washed and thoroughly dried
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 15 g granulated sugar
- 3 g ground cinnamon
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 281 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 24 g
- Sodium
- 170 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 77 mg
- Potassium
- 71 mg
- Calcium
- 49 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 61 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 120 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 47 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Lightly grease the 9-inch springform pan with butter or cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the softened butter and 150g of granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light, pale, and fluffy. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure the emulsion holds. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the lemon zest.
Place a sifter over another bowl and sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture together just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Transfer the thick batter into the prepared springform pan, spreading it into an even layer with the spatula. Scatter the fresh blueberries evenly over the surface of the batter. Drizzle the freshly squeezed lemon juice uniformly over the berries.
In a small container, briefly mix the remaining 15g of granulated sugar with the ground cinnamon. Sprinkle this cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the blueberries.
Bake in the preheated oven at 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 45 to 50 minutes. The cake should be golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake portion should come out clean.
Remove the torte from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before releasing the springform ring. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Chef's Notes
- To accurately measure flour, use a kitchen scale. If you do not have a scale, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off to prevent a dense crumb.
- Ensure both the butter and eggs are at true room temperature. Cold eggs introduced to creamed butter will break the emulsion, resulting in a heavier, less airy cake.
- This recipe relies on the batter being quite thick. It acts as a mattress to hold the blueberries on top as they bake. Resist the urge to add liquid if the batter feels stiff.
- For an extra textural contrast, you can add 30g of sliced almonds or chopped pecans on top of the blueberries before baking.
- Serve this torte slightly warm with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to balance the acidic tartness of the blueberries.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: 2 months — Wrap the fully cooled torte tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.
Reheating: Warm individual slices in a 150C (300F) oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Blueberries sank entirely to the bottom of the torte
Cause: The blueberries were too wet or the batter was unusually warm and thin before baking
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but the torte will still taste excellent as a bottom-fruit cake.
Prevention: Ensure blueberries are completely dry after washing. If using large, heavy berries, toss them in a teaspoon of flour before placing them on the batter.
Cake is dense or heavy
Cause: Butter and sugar were not creamed long enough, or the batter was overmixed after adding flour
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Cream butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy (at least 3 minutes). Fold flour gently and stop as soon as dry streaks disappear.
Cultural Context
The simple fruit torte gained massive popularity in America during the 1980s, largely inspired by Marian Burros's famous plum torte recipe published in the New York Times. It embodies a democratic, accessible approach to baking: uncomplicated techniques, everyday pantry staples, and a canvas that eagerly accepts whatever seasonal fruit is available. Adapting it with blueberries and warming spices perfectly transitions the dish for cooler, cozy autumnal baking.
