What Does New Zealand Louise Cake Taste Like?

Head to New Zealand and you may spot pretty looking layered bars while standing in line at a coffee shop. Thought to be named after Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Louise of England, pieces of Louise cake offer careful rows of sweet ingredients that when compiled and baked create the ideal snack to serve alongside afternoon cups of tea or morning lattes. With a gummy and buttery shortcake base that is balanced out by the tart sweetness of fruit jam and crowned by fluffy coconut meringue, this easy treat can turn a dreary midweek day into something that feels closer to a holiday. For many New Zealanders, bites of Louise cake are interwoven with nostalgia.

Louise cake takes about one hour to assemble and bake. Pieces are typically served cut into bars or slices. While the standard recipe includes shortbread, raspberry jam, and Swiss meringue, bakers have taken it upon themselves to add their own twists to the recipe to create varying textures while turning up the volume of specific flavors found within the treat. The soft, buttery shortbread recipe is commonly modified with the inclusion of egg yolks, turning what is commonly known to be a crunchier recipe into a gummier, cake-like chew.

After the prepared shortbread batter is pressed down into a lined pan, raspberry jam is next spooned across the surface. Coconut Swiss meringue is then placed on top of the jammy layer and shortbread base before the entire compilation is set into the oven. These three carefully stacked layers are then left in the oven to bake for about 20 minutes or until the coconut begins to brown.

Some bakers play with the kind of meringue recipe used to top the cake. While traditional Louise cake recipes often call for French meringue, working with meringue can be tricky, and including more whites can help chefs make thicker, more stable meringue that can be used to top this treat. Whether Swiss or French meringue is used, the Louise cake is customarily topped with desiccated coconut as a final flourish. Since the meringue topping is delicate, Louise cake is best enjoyed on the same day it is pulled out of the oven.