Discover the Delight of Ledeni Vjetar – Perfect Croatian Summer Cake

What is Ledeni Vjetar Cake?

Light and refreshing as a breeze, Ledeni Vjetar Cake is the birthday party queen all around Croatia. Few attempt to make it at home because intricate layers of silky meringue, buttercream, fruit, and whipped cream take time to make. And holding them together in a dazzling shape speaks of proper pastry skills.

As complex as it is, Ledeni Vjetar is, in fact, a simplified version of its baroque ancestor, the Spanish Wind Cake (Spanische Windtorte). Once the darling of all cakes in Vienna, it stood for all the glamour of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was elaborate, extravagant, and eccentric.

This ancestor of our Ledeni Vjetar was made only of stacked meringue rings filled with fruit and whipped cream. If it wasn’t eaten immediately, it could quickly vanish... thaw, and become a fruit soup. This is why this haughty dessert had to be modernized.

In Croatia, we took it upon ourselves to do it. First, we changed its name. For the Austrians, Spanish culture was the one to admire (hence the original name). We, on the other hand, chose a nature metaphor. We then dismantled the delicate meringue structure and turned it into layers. In between, we kept the fruit but buttered everything up with cream. And it stuck.

So much so that almost every Croatian child wants it for their birthday. Now, if you feel too daunted to make this darling of Croatian desserts, think of its older sibling. Roll up your sleeves and surprise someone with this gaudy cake.

Ingredients for Ledeni Vjetar Cake

Ledeni Vjetar Cake is made with three essential ingredients. You’ll need eggs, fruit, and whipping cream. Fruit refreshes this dessert, and the lack of flour gives it a light bounce.

Egg Whites

Ledeni Vjetar Cake has no sponge layers. Instead we use egg whites and sugar to bake French meringue. In Croatian, we call these beze kore za ledeni vjetar.

Fruit

The most popular version of this cake is ledeni vjetar s jagodama (using strawberries). Aside from their pleasant mix of sweetness and tartness, strawberries have a regal look that’s just right for Ledeni Vjetar.

If you want to use just strawberries, you’ll need about 500 g for all three layers. But there are more options for ledeni vjetar recipe: using three different types of fruit.

I prefer such variety in taste and looks. If you opt for this, remember the golden rule. Use two types of tart fruit and one type of sweet. This recipe includes cherries (from compote), kiwis, and bananas.

Notice that these fruits are available all year round. So, you don’t need to wait for the summer to enjoy Ledeni Vjetar.

Buttercream

The yellow layer of Ledeni Vjetar is our buttercream. To thicken it, we make it with egg yolks, sugar, milk, and cornstarch. This portion of the buttercream must cool down before combining it with creamed butter.

Whipped Cream

Whipped cream for ledeni vjetar is an essential part of the cake, not just decoration. It’s what makes it light and airy.

But because it is a standalone layer, it needs to be stable. This is why we add small amounts of powdered sugar and cornstarch at the end of the whipping. Don’t worry, cornstarch won’t change its taste.

Baking Tips and Tricks

The key to the great ledeni vjetar recipe is a good organization of time. You might have noticed that this cake is often shaped into a long rectangle. This is because most bake the meringue in a large oven tray and divide it into three layers.

I prefer ledeni vjetar as a round cake. This takes longer, but it's a breeze if you know what and when to do it. Let me take you through the process.

How to Achieve the Perfect Meringue (Beze kore)

Beze kore (the French meringue layers) bake for one hour each. This adds to three hours of oven time.

But each layer needs to be whipped separately. So, you’ll need to whip three egg whites with 1/3 of the sugar amount at the time and repeat this three times.

It may sound like much, but it also leaves you plenty of time in between to focus on the buttercream.

There’s more to think about if you want perfect beze kore. Have your egg whites at room temperature. Start whisking at medium-low speed until the egg whites become frothy. Then, increase the speed gradually until they have soft peaks.

Start adding sugar slowly and whisk more until the meringue forms stiff peaks. Stop there. Any longer, and your meringue might collapse.

Assembling the Cake Layers

Ledeni vjetar has a complex structure. So, if you need to, write down the layering schematics...

1. layer: meringue, buttercream, bananas, whipped cream

2. layer: meringue, buttercream, cherries, whipped cream

3. layer: meringue, buttercream, kiwi fruit, whipped cream

Think like a mathematician. You need to divide your buttercream into three equal parts. But the whipping cream must have four - you need this to frost the cake from the outside.

I like to frost the ledeni vjetar twice. I apply a light first coat and leave the cake in the fridge to cool. Then, I make more whipping cream for the second coat and decorations. This way, I get a delicate but stable cake that lasts two days. With such awesome desserts, I can focus on other Croatian recipes. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I’ve given you plenty of tips to avoid many mistakes. Here’s the last thing to remember: the choice of fruit.

Many people are compelled to experiment with various fruits. Maybe some fruit is not in season, or you want to add a different color.

Choose fruit that is firm enough to withstand being cut through. This will happen when you slice the cake. The fruit must be juicy but not mushy. For example, strawberries are much better than raspberries.

If you are set to use firm fruit such as pineapple or oranges, cut it into smaller pieces. This way, you’ll miss them with a slicing knife, and the layering will be smooth.

It’s time to do some baking. Let’s go.

Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Ledeni Vjetar Cake

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5 from 1 vote

Ledeni Vjetar Cake

A refreshing summer cake with various fruits, vanilla butter cream and whipped cream. A crowd pleaser.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Croatian

Keyword summer dessert

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Chill Time 12 hours hours

Total Time 16 hours hours

Servings 16 slices

Calories 467 kcal

Equipment

Adjustable cake ring - Set to 24 cm [9.5 in.] diameter

Ingredients 

Meringue Layers (Beze kore):

• 9 egg whites
• 300 g granulated sugar ([1 ½ cup])
• 1 tbsp vinegar (white wine or apple cider)

Vanilla Buttercream:

• 9 egg yolks
• 100 g granulated sugar ([½ cup])
• 1 tbsp vanilla flavour
• 50 g all-purpose flour ([⅓ cup])
• 15 g cornstarch ([⅛ cup])
• 300 ml milk ([1 ¼ cup])
• 250 g butter, room temperature ([1 ⅛ cup])

Fruit and whipped cream filling:

• 500 ml whipping cream ([2 ⅛ cup])
• 5 tbsp sugar, powdered
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 4 bananas
• 5 kiwi fruits
• 500 g sour cherries or sliced strawberries ([2 cups])
• Juice of 1 lemon
• More whipped cream for decoration (optional)

Instructions

For the meringue layers

• Meringue layers for this cake are baked separately. This means you should repeat the below steps three times.
• Beat 3 egg whites with ⅓ of the overall sugar amount and 1 tsp of vinegar. When they get to soft peaks, gradually add sugar and beat to stiff peaks.
• Place a cake ring on a sheet of baking paper. Generously oil the paper and the sides of the cake ring. This allows the paper to peel off more easily.
  
• Spread the meringue inside and bake in the preheated oven at 150 °C [300 °F] for one hour.
  
• Baked meringue should be slightly golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then use a knife to release it from the sides of the ring.
  
• Set aside to cool completely. Gently peel off the baking paper from the bottom. Repeat all steps until you have three layers.
  

For the buttercream

• Make the buttercream while the meringue is in the oven.
• Choose a heat-safe mixing bowl. Bring milk to a boil. Have water simmering in another saucepan.
• Beat together egg yolks and sugar until they turn light and fluffy. Add flour, cornstarch, vanilla extract and a few tbsp of milk (from the overall amount).
  
• Slowly pour hot milk in the egg yolk mixture while stirring all the time. This is called tempering and prevents the egg yolks from curdling.
• Place the bowl over simmering water and continue stirring until the cream begins to thicken (4-5 minutes).
• The cream is done when your whisk begins leaving tracks as you stir. Its consistency should be firmer than before but still runny.
  
• Transfer the cream to another bowl to stop it from cooking further. Cover with cling film (so it actually touches the cream) and pop in the fridge to set.
  

Fruit and whipped cream

• Prepare the fruit. Slice the bananas and drizzle them with lemon juice. Peel, slice and half the kiwi fruits. If you’re using sour cherries from compote, drain and leave them on a kitchen paper so they dry off completely.
• The general rule is to have two types of tart fruit and one sweet. But you can make Ledeni Vjetar with strawberries only, in which case you need 500 g of strawberries.
• Cream the butter. Gradually add in the set cream, mixing in between to get a silky texture.
  
• Whip the cream. Always use the whipping cream from the fridge. Also, chill the bowl and the whisks in the freezer for 5 minutes before you start. To further stabilize the cream, add 5 tbsp of powdered sugar when the cream starts to firm up. At the end, add 2 tsp of cornstarch: it won’t affect the taste and the cream will last at least 48 hours.

Layering the cake

• If you’re using the cake ring, assemble the cake inside. Follow this order of layers:
• meringue, buttercream, bananas, whipped cream
  
• meringue, buttercream, cherries, whipped cream
  
• meringue, buttercream, kiwi fruit, whipped cream
  
• This means you need to divide the cream in three parts but whipped cream into four because some goes on the sides too.
• Unmold the cake and use the remaining whipped cream to coat the sides.
  
• Leave in the fridge several hours or best overnight.
• You can decorate the cake with more fruit on top, but I prefer the minimalist look. When the cake has chilled, I put another coat of whipped cream and pipe large roses on top.
  
• Ledeni vjetar is best the following day but it can keep for 48 hours in the fridge.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 1300IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 1mg