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| Alternative names | Louise slice |
|---|---|
| Type | Cake orconfection |
| Place of origin | New Zealand |
| Main ingredients | Butter,eggs,raspberry jam,coconut |
ALouise cake orLouise slice is a baked New Zealand sweet dish that consists of raspberry jam and coconut-flavouredmeringue on a shortbread base.[1][2] Theconfection's name may refer to the 1871 wedding ofPrincess Louise.
It has been suggested that the cake was created to celebrate the wedding ofPrincess Louise (one ofQueen Victoria’s daughters) in 1871.[3][4] A recipe for Louise cake was shared in theOtago Witness newspaper in October 1927.[5]
In a 2022 bilingual cookbookWhānaukai: Feel-good baking to share aroha and feed hungry tummies, Auckland baker and formerWhakaata Māori presenter, Naomi Toilalo, translated Louise cake intote reo Māori asKeke Rahipere Me Te Kokonati (raspberry and coconut cake).[6][7]
The base of Louise cake is shortbread, made from eggs, sugar, butter and flour. The shortbread layer is topped with raspberry jam, followed by a layer of meringue with coconut mixed into it.[1] Although not traditional, some bakers nowadays decorate the cake with raspberries, either fresh or crushed freeze-dried.[1][4] Other modern variations on the recipe replace the layer of raspberry jam with plum orkiwifruit jam, stewedrhubarb orlemon curd.[8][9][10][11]
