Redcurrant cake has one fundamental problem: the berries bleed during baking and make the base soggy. The meringue on top is not just decorative, it solves this problem directly. The acidity of the redcurrants needs the sweetness of the meringue as a counterbalance, and the dense layer of egg white seals the fruit from above before it can soak through the pastry.
We bake this cake every year as soon as the redcurrants in the garden are ripe. The shortcrust pastry comes together quickly with 2 minutes on kneading mode; the real work lies in timing the two baking stages and getting the meringue right. If you would prefer to skip the meringue, you can scatter Thermomix® crumble or Thermomix® low-carb crumble over the top instead. But then you lose the sweet-sour contrast that makes this cake what it is.
Redcurrant Cake with Meringue, Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 9 ✓
- 230 g butter
- 220 g sugar
- 420 g plain flour (Type 405)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 600 g redcurrants
- 5 egg whites
- 1 pinch salt
- 220 g sugar
Instructions 0 / 9
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1
Knead the pastry.
Cut the butter into pieces, add to the mixing bowl with the remaining pastry ingredients and knead for 2 minutes / kneading mode.
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2
Chill the pastry.
Wrap the pastry in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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3
Rinse the mixing bowl.
Rinse the mixing bowl thoroughly; it must be completely free of grease.
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4
Prepare the redcurrants.
Meanwhile, wash the redcurrants, remove from their stalks and set aside 100 g for the garnish.
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5
Preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 180°C top and bottom heat. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
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6
Roll out the pastry.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface or directly on the baking paper.
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7
Spread the redcurrants over the pastry.
Spread 500 g of redcurrants over the pastry and bake on the middle shelf for 15 minutes.
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8
Whip the egg whites.
Insert the butterfly whisk, add the egg whites and salt to the mixing bowl and, without the measuring cup, whip for 4 minutes / speed 3.5 until stiff. Gradually trickle in the sugar through the lid opening as you go.
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9
Bake.
Quickly spread the meringue over the par-baked cake, scatter the remaining redcurrants on top and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes until golden.
Tip: You can garnish the cake slices with sugared redcurrant sprigs.
Nutrition per serving
Why Redcurrants Make the Pastry Wet
Red redcurrants have a high fruit acid content. During baking they release juice that seeps into the shortcrust pastry. The result is a damp, sometimes rubbery base, even though the pastry should be crisp.
Two things help prevent this. First, par-baking: we spread the 500 g of redcurrants over the rolled-out pastry and bake the cake for 15 minutes at 180°C before the meringue goes on. This way the initial burst of juice is absorbed by the pastry while the meringue is not yet in the picture. Second, the meringue itself: it sits densely over the remaining berries and forms a barrier during the second bake. The 100 g of berries for the garnish go onto the meringue just before the cake goes back into the oven.
The Meringue in the Thermomix®: What Matters
The mixing bowl must be completely free of grease before you add the egg whites. We rinse it thoroughly after kneading and dry it well. Even a trace of butter or egg yolk in the bowl will prevent the egg whites from stiffening properly.
Separate the 5 eggs while they are still cold for the cleanest separation. For whipping, the egg whites should be at room temperature: separate them cold, then wait 15 to 20 minutes on the worktop before adding them to the mixing bowl. Insert the butterfly whisk, add a pinch of salt, then whip for 4 minutes at speed 3.5 without the measuring cup. Gradually trickle the sugar through the lid opening as you go, not all at once. We have explained exactly how this works in our Thermomix® meringue post.
Once the meringue is ready, work quickly. Meringue loses its stiffness if it stands. Spread the meringue over the par-baked cake, scatter the remaining 100 g of redcurrants on top and return it to the oven immediately for a further 15 to 20 minutes. The meringue should turn golden brown, not grey.
Frozen Redcurrants and Storage
Frozen redcurrants work, but you must thaw them completely and drain them well before they go on the pastry. The moisture content of frozen berries is significantly higher than fresh, and the base will otherwise become too wet. We spread the thawed berries briefly on a clean kitchen towel.
The finished cake keeps in the fridge for about 3 days. The meringue softens slightly, but it is still good. Best served fresh or on the day after baking at the latest. Freezing is possible, though the meringue loses its texture. If you want to freeze the cake, it is better to leave the meringue off and freeze only the topped, par-baked base. The cake slices can also be garnished with sugared redcurrant sprigs.
If you want to bake more with redcurrants: our Thermomix® redcurrant biscuits are topped with a glaze made from redcurrant liqueur and redcurrant jelly. And for all other Thermomix® baked goods that use meringue, our Thermomix® meringue post is the right starting point.
How Other Recipes Approach This Cake
Goes well with: vanilla ice cream and coffee.
Comparing with other Thermomix® recipe platforms, a pattern emerges: many use a shortcrust base in a 24 cm springform tin, often with a meringue topping and a custard layer between the berries and the egg white. Others go for a crumble traybake with oat crumbles and marzipan in the dough. We deliberately use a straightforward Thermomix® shortcrust because it is reliable and the acidity of red redcurrants is carried well by the soft pastry. If you prefer blackcurrants or a quark-based variation, both work fine, and you can increase the sugar by 20 to 30 g depending on how sweet you like it.
