Fresh Fruit Torte

Ingredients

Cake

    * 1 cup finely ground almonds (4 oz)
    * 1 1/3 cups sifted flour
    * 8 large egg yolks
    * 3/4 cup granulated sugar
    * 8 oz marzipan
    * 1 Tbs finely grated lemon rind
    * 8 large egg whites

Filling

    * 3 Tbs orange liquor, opional
    * 3 cups heavy whipping cream
    * 1/4 cup sugar
    * 1 Tbs vanilla extract
    * 3 cups fresh fruit, sliced

Instructions

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and walls of 7" Kaiser Springform pan; set aside.

Mix the almonds with the flour; set aside. Cream together the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, marzipan, and lemon rind until light and pale. Gently mix in the almond-flour to form a dough.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. While continuing to beat, slowly add the remaining sugar. Continue to whisk until whites form stiff peaks and are shiny. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the batter. Fold 1/2 of the remaining egg whites into batter; repeat. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 30 to 45 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched in the center. Cool 10 minutes in pan, remove wall and bottom and cool completely on wire rack.

Filling: whip the cream, sugar and vanilla together until stiff. Cut the cooled cake in thirds horizontally. Sprinkle one tablespoon of the liquor over the bottom layer, spread 1/3 of the whipped cream, and cover with 1/3 of the sliced fruit. Repeat for remaining two layers. Refrigerate until ready to serve.