My Grandfather's Birthday Cake

"Cake is one of the luxuries of the table,
and, like all luxuries,
must be sparingly indulged in order to be enjoyed,
its value depending chiefly on its rarity."

~ 'The Good Housekeeper' by Sarah Josepha Hale (1841)

Today is the anniversary of my paternal grandfather's birthday. Throughout my childhood years we always celebrated his birthday combined with Mother's Day. (On the other hand, my maternal grandmother's birthday was June 17th, so that was always celebrated with Father's Day. As a little girl I couldn't understand why we just didn't switch their birthdays *smile*.)

My grandfather was born in 1904 and died on Valentine's Day in 1991. He and my grandmother were married in 1924, and for the 67 years of their married lives, she always baked him his favorite cake, which was a Zwieback Torte. I'm not sure where she first found the recipe ~ perhaps from a newspaper, or from the box of cookies, or even on the bag of walnuts ~ but it was always a family favorite and commonly known as "Mickey's cake" (my grandfather's name was Michael). My grandmother was Hungarian and a fantastic cook and baker, so all her desserts were wonderful. This one, however, was always the special occasion dessert.

So, in honor of his birthday, I'm sharing the recipe with you all today :) It takes a bit of work, but is sooooo delicious!! (And as you'll notice, no flour is used.)


ZWIEBACK TORTE

7 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
9 zwieback crackers, crushed (usually found with baby foods in the grocery aisles)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup ground walnuts
2 to 3 cups whipped cream
Ground walnuts for decoration

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a spring-form pan with waxed or parchment paper to make removal easier.

~ Beat egg yolks and sugar. Add crushed zwiebacks, baking powder and vanilla. Mix well.

~ Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture with ground walnuts. Pour into spring-form pan.

~ Bake in moderate 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until done. Test with a toothpick. Let cake cool in pan, and then carefully remove. Make sure to remove the waxed or parchment paper from the bottom.

~ Cut into two layers using a sawing motion with a serrated knife. Frost with whipped cream and sprinkle nuts on top for decoration.