Streusel cookie layers filled with chocolate whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. Blättertorte is a show stopping layered cake, perfect for any celebration!

Image of layered Blättertorte Cake with marbled chocolate and plain whipped cream.

Show stopping layered streusel cake with whipped cream filling

This blättertorte is a classic German cake with thin sugar cookie like layers topped with streusel and layered with whipped cream. I made this one with chocolate whipped cream and mini chocolate chips because chocolate makes everything better right?!

Unlike a normal chocolate cake, this one is light and airy with the chocolate whipped cream similar to a chocolate mousse. The streusel topped cookie layers are flaky and light but with the flavor of a sugar cookie and create the structure of the cake.

Image of Blättertorte cut into slices and served on plates.

Tips for making Blättertorte

This dough is different from most because it is kneaded with a dough hook but it won’t become a completely smooth ball. To know the dough is ready, it should not stick when briefly touched.
The layers are baked individually, one after another so it’s important to keep the other portions of dough covered so they don’t dry out.
Because the layers are hard and the filling is so soft, it is important to cut the layers before assembling the cake. In order to prevent them from cracking and breaking, 3 out of 4 of the layers need to be cut into slices immediately after they are taken out of the oven while they are still hot.
To prevent the cake from shifting and collapsing, refrigerate it for at least an hour immediately after it is assembled. This will give the whipped cream a chance to set up.

Dough Ingredients · Streusel Ingredients

Ingredients for making Chocolate Whipped Cream Torte

All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for these! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar in the dough and the streusel.
Butter: Butter is used in the streusel as well as the dough for the cookie layers. Make sure the butter is softened before using it.
Crème Fraîche: In this recipe, créme fraîche makes the layers extra light and flaky unlike a traditional sugar cookie.
Baking Powder: Always make sure that your baking powder has not expired. It acts as the main leavening agent for this recipe so it is important that it is working.
Vanilla Extract: This adds flavor to the dough.
Heavy Whipping Cream: This torte uses a lot of cream as it is the main filling. In the recipe 2/5 of it will be turned into plain whipped cream and 3/5 will be chocolate whipped cream.
Cocoa Powder: I used dutch processed cocoa powder in here but natural cocoa powder will work too.
Powdered Sugar: The whipped cream filling uses a little powdered sugar to sweeten it. I like using powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar because it tends to dissolve better in the cream.
Mini Chocolate chips: Mini chocolate chips are sprinkled into each layer of whipped cream for extra chocolate and a little extra crunch.

Storing the Blättertorte

This torte is meant to be eaten the day it is made. However, it will hold until the next day, the layers will just soften slightly. If you don’t have time to make it all in one day, the layers can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container until you are ready to assemble it – just make sure to keep the layers separate so they don’t get mixed together.

How to make Chocolate Whipped Cream Blättertorte

Make the Dough & Streusel

Preheat the oven to 400 F (375 F if convection) and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder and whisk to combine. Then add in the crème fraîche, butter, and vanilla extract. Using a dough hook, knead the dough on low speed until the ingredients are combined, then turn to high speed and knead for 7 to 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky but not immediately stick to your finger when touched.
While the dough is kneading, make the streusel by combining the flour and sugar in a medium size bowl and whisking together. Then, add in the butter and vanilla and rub the butter into the flour and sugar with your hands until it is fully combined and the streusel clump together when squeezed.
Once the dough is finished in the mixer, dump it out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand until it no longer sticks/ breaks apart. You should not need any flour to make the dough stop sticking.

Baking the Layers

Lightly grease a 9″ (10″ will also work) spring form pan. Divide the ball of dough into 4 equal portions.
Starting with one portion, gently spread the ball of dough into the bottom of the pan until it fully reaches the edges. The easiest way to do this is by starting in the center and gently pressing the dough outwards with your fingers, do your best not to rip the dough and make sure the edges of the dough are not thinner than the center.
Cover the remaining 3 portions of dough to prevent them from drying out.
Sprinkle the layer of dough in the pan with 1/4 of the streusel mixture and place the pan in the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
Immediately when the layer is finished baking, remove it from the springform pan, transfer it to a cutting board and use a long sharp knife to cut it into 8 slices. Allow the slices to cool for 5 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack. Do not leave them to cool for longer, otherwise they will stick to the cutting board.
Continue this process for the next two portions of dough. Your springform pan should cool off pretty quickly allowing you to start on the next layer within 5 minutes of removing the first from the oven. Be careful of the latch – on my pan it stays hot much longer than the rest of the pan.
With the fourth portion of dough, repeat the same steps but do not cut it after baking, simply remove it from the pan and allow it to cool on a wire rack.
Allow all layers to cool before proceeding on to the next step.

Making the Filling

To make the whipped cream filling, start with the plain whipped cream. Pour the cold cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whip on high speed until stiff peaks are formed. Be careful not to overwhip it or you will end up with butter. Pour the whipped cream into a bowl and place in the fridge to chill while making the chocolate whipped cream.
For the chocolate whipped cream, follow the same steps as above but swap out the vanilla for the cocoa powder.
After both whipped creams are made immediately begin assembling the blättertorte.

Assembling

Before you begin, decide what this torte will be served on. This is the surface you should use to assemble the cake because once assembled, it will be very difficult to move.
Starting with the uncut layer, place it streusel side up on the surface. Fill a large piping bag with both the plain and chocolate whipped cream – alternate between the flavors as you fill the bag to achieve a marbled effect.
Pipe 1″ sized kisses of whipped cream all over the surface of the bottom layer. Leave 1/2″ border around the edges as the whipped cream will squish out a little as you stack the remaining layers.
Next, sprinkle with 1/3 of the mini chocolate chips.
Place the slices of one of the cut layers on top of the whipped cream + chocolate chips, reforming the circle that they were before they were cut.
Now pipe on another layer of whipped cream and sprinkle with 1/3 of the mini chocolate chips. When layering the next layer of cut slices, make sure they line up with the slices of the previous layer – this will making cutting the blättertorte much easier.
Continue this layering process until you have used up all of the cookie layers. Pipe one kiss of whipped cream onto the top of each slice. Then place the torte in the fridge for at least an hour. To serve, dust with powdered sugar.
To slice each piece, use a long sharp knife following the path of the already cut slices through the whipped cream, when you reach the bottom layer apply pressure to cut through.

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