Nuss Torte (Nusstorte) is a delicious German nut cake that's light and delicate, similar to an Angel Food Cake. You'll only need a handful of ingredients, four to be exact, to prepare this heavenly cake! Serve the chilled nut cake with fresh berries, melted chocolate, or salted caramel sauce.
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The simplicity of this nut torte is astounding! When you look at the ingredients, you might think that I accidentally left something out. However, many old recipes, including this one, which I received from Scott's second cousin, Marguerite, were prepared with simple ingredients that were readily available.
It might surprise you to know that this Nuss Torte recipe doesn't require all-purpose flour, butter, salt, vanilla, or a leavening agent. In fact, it only requires eggs, sugar, bread crumbs, and walnuts!
If you enjoy this delicious German cake, you may also be interested in these yummy Swedish Cinnamon Buns known as "kanelbullar." The recipe comes from Brianna at CasualFoodist.com!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This is a unique cake that only requires a few simple ingredients.
- Nuss Torte can be served with fresh berries for a beautiful presentation.
- It can also be sliced into layers and filled with custard or whipped cream.
- The 12 eggs required to make this cake not only make it high in protein but also give the cake its light and airy texture.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Eggs - You'll need 12 large eggs to make this cake. Although this may seem like a lot of eggs, the eggs are required to give the cake its delicate texture.
- Bread Crumbs - Instead of using plain breadcrumbs, the recipe suggests using ground-dried French bread. I'm sure you can use either.
- Nuts - Although this particular Nuss Torte recipe calls for walnuts, I found other recipes that called for pecans or a mixture of pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts.
- Optional Ingredients - I've baked the cake a few times, and the last time I added 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon cardamom. The spices added another layer of flavor.
Helpful Tools
How to Make Nuss Torte (German Nut Cake)
PREHEAT OVEN TO 300 DEGREES F
Step 1: Separate egg whites into a large mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff; remove from the mixing bowl and place into another bowl.
Step 2: Add egg yolks and sugar to the empty mixing bowl and beat together until thick and pale lemon in color.
Step 3: Add egg yolks, bread crumbs, and ground walnuts to the egg whites and gently mix. Fold the ingredients carefully so as not to deflate the eggs.
Step 4: Pour the cake batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool upside down for at least an hour until the cake is completely cool.
Step 5: Flip the pan upright and slide a thin knife along the pan's edges, around the inner tube, and the bottom of the cake. Carefully invert the cake onto a plate. If some of the cake is stuck to the bottom of the pan, flip the cake onto another plate to reveal the prettier side.
Note: If you are a visual learner, here is a great video showing you how to remove the cake from the pan.
How to Serve Nuss Torte
Nuss Torte is better when served chilled. Serve it as is, or slice it horizontally into 2 or 3 layers and fill with custard or freshly whipped heavy cream. If you prefer, drizzle the top with melted chocolate or serve it with fresh fruit.
How to Make Breadcrumbs
Slice ⅓ of a French bread loaf into 1"-2" cubes and either dry the bread on the counter for a few days or in the oven using very low heat, until dry and crispy. Grind the cubes in a food processor until you're left with fine bread crumbs. Sift the breadcrumbs to remove the larger pieces before using them.
Pro Tip: Marguerite mentions in the recipe that she was always taught that if you measure the ingredients, you should have 12 heaping tablespoons of sugar, bread crumbs, and ground nuts. That's 1 tablespoon of each ingredient for every egg used in the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Nuss Torte, sometimes spelled Nusstorte, is how you say Nut Cake in German.
Nuss Torte is best when chilled. Store Nuss Torte in the refrigerator, preferably covered, to keep it from absorbing odors from the other food in the fridge.
This German Nuss Torte recipe was brought to the US from Bikal, Hungary in 1905. However, Nusstorte is also the name of a Swiss Walnut Pie. Bündner Nusstorte (Swiss walnut cake) is quite different. The Swiss version is made with pastry dough and is filled with walnuts, caramelized sugar, heavy cream, and honey.
Pro Tips
- Do not butter the pan or use parchment paper before adding the batter. The batter needs to cling to the pan while cooling upside down. This gives the Nuss Torte volume and keeps the cake from deflating.
- If you find you didn't make enough bread crumbs, you can add store-bought plain bread crumbs to make up the difference.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator before slicing and serving it.
- Make sure to cook the Nuss Torte for the entire 50 minutes. The first time I baked it, I took it out 20 minutes early because it looked ready. As a result, the top crust peeled off while the cake was cooling upside-down 🤦♀️.
About This Recipe
In 2017, when we bought our house in Montana, we met one of Scott's second cousins, Marguerite, who just so happens to live 45 minutes away. Marguerite is a sweetheart and took the time to put together a beautiful binder for us full of family history, photos, and recipes.
This Nuss Torte recipe was included in that binder and belonged to Scott's great-grandmother, Katharine. According to Marguerite, Grandma Schmidt brought this recipe with her in 1905 from Bikal, Hungary. Marguerite recalled that it was her father's favorite cake.
"When mom wasn't looking, dad would cut a small slice out of the cake and push it back together so it didn't look like it had been cut. It made mom smile, but she gave him a look and a mock scolding anyway." - Marguerite Amstadt
Looking for other authentic German recipes? Be sure to check out this German Spaetzle recipe from Tiffany at PeanutBlossom.com
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Recipe
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Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 300℉
- Separate egg whites into a large mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff; remove from the mixing bowl and place into another bowl.
- Add egg yolks and sugar to the empty mixing bowl and beat together until thick and pale lemon in color.
- Add egg yolks, bread crumbs, and ground walnuts to the egg whites and gently mix. Fold the ingredients carefully so as not to deflate the eggs.
- Pour the cake batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool upside down for at least an hour until the cake is completely cool.
- Flip the pan upright and slide a thin knife along the pan edges, around the inner tube, and the bottom of the cake pan. Carefully invert the cake onto a plate. If some of the cake stuck to the bottom of the pan, flip the cake onto another plate to reveal the prettier side.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Do not butter the pan or use parchment paper before adding the batter. The batter needs to cling to the pan while cooling upside down. This gives the Nuss Torte volume and keeps the cake from deflating.
- If you find you didn't make enough bread crumbs, you can add store-bought plain bread crumbs to make up the difference.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator before slicing and serving it.
- Make sure to cook the Nuss Torte for the entire 50 minutes. The first time I baked it, I took it out 20 minutes early because it looked ready. As a result, the top crust peeled off while the cake was cooling upside-down 🤦♀️.
Susan says
Hi Hilda! I have a similar recipe from my grandmother, presumably brought with her from Slovenia/Austro-Hungarian Empire around 1905. She baked it every year for my grandfather's birthday on Dec 24, so I always associated it with Christmas. Her/our recipe is a little different, but cake looks like your pictures, calls for 9 eggs, & 10X sugar instead of granulated. She used a hand cranked shaver to shave the nuts, but I use the blade in my Cuisinart (because my sister has the nut shaver.) Our recipe calls for baking for an hour & a half, and a mocha glaze (chocolate, butter, 10X sugar & hot coffee.) Let me know if you want me to send a picture.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Susan, That mocha glaze sounds amazing, I would love to look at that recipe if you don't mind sending. Here's my email: hilda@hildaskitchenblog.com
Barbara says
What do you use if you don’t have an angel food cake pan?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Barbara, the lady who taught me how to make this cake said you had to use an angel food cake pan because the cake needs to cling to the pan as it cools upside-down. I bought a used one from the thrift shop for $2. I will confirm with her if something else can be used, if so, I'll update my answer here. Thanks!
Deana says
hello. I look forward to making this and in fact I have it ready for the oven BUT there is not an oven temp in the recipe 🙁 I am going to hope for the best and cook it at 350 degrees maybe you can fix the recipe?????
Hilda Sterner says
Hi
I'm sorry that somehow I missed adding the temperature in the recipe card, but it is in the directions in the actual post. It should be 300F. I will fix it now!
Kathy Fisher says
Wonderful. I would have never guessed this recipe with only 4 ingredients including bread crumbs would have turned out this great. Of course, the cardamom made it even more wonderful. Thanks Hilda for another great recipe.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, my friend! I'm glad you got to try it!
Hungry4Hucks says
One word... ausgezeichnet!!! (excellent). ich stamme auch aus deutschland. I had no idea how it was made and I'm grateful to you for sharing. der beste Nusstorte aller Zeiten.
Hilda Sterner says
Can you address me in Assyrian, please? 😂
Kelly Methey says
I love old recipes and the stories of how they got here. This is a very interesting sounding recipe. I look forward to trying it. Thanks, Hilda, for another recipe with a cool story to go with it!
Oh and thank you for adding the chocolate drizzle idea! I will like that better than fruit! Fruit would make my dessert to healthy! Hahaha
Hilda Sterner says
You're too funny, yes, by all means, you can enjoy it with as much chocolate as you'd like!