Hungarian Marjolaine Cake 🇭🇺 – A Decadent Nut Meringue Layer Cake You’ll Never Forget

Ah, the Hungarian Marjolaine Cake 🇭🇺 — an elegant, multi-layered masterpiece of nutty meringue, rich buttercream, and chocolate. This dessert is as much a labor of love as it is a celebration of old-world European pastry artistry. While the cake originated in France, Hungarians have embraced it and added their own flair, often serving it on special occasions like weddings, name days, and holidays.

Here’s a long-form recipe article that blends history, tradition, and indulgence:

Hungarian Marjolaine Cake 🇭🇺 – A Decadent Nut Meringue Layer Cake You’ll Never Forget

Delicate. Sophisticated. Absolutely unforgettable.
If there was ever a cake that could stop time for just a moment, it’s the Marjolaine. And in Hungary, where desserts are cherished as much as traditions, this cake stands as a shining example of how layered desserts can reach glorious heights.

Made with layers of nutty dacquoise (almond/hazelnut meringue) and sandwiched with rich pastry cream, praline buttercream, and dark chocolate ganache, this cake melts in your mouth with every bite. It’s the kind of dessert your grandmother would make once a year—and everyone would remember it until the next time.

🌰 What is Marjolaine Cake?

The original Marjolaine was created by French chef Ferdinand Point, but in Hungary, it became a cake that families proudly made on holidays. Hungarian versions often emphasize hazelnuts, almonds, and a slightly richer pastry cream, adding a Central European twist.

The cake is rectangular (not round!), served cold, and each bite is layered perfection: soft, chewy nut meringue + fluffy buttercream + dark chocolate = a dream.

đź“ť Ingredients

For the Nut Meringue (Dacquoise):

  • 6 egg whites
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup ground hazelnuts or almonds (or a mix)
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional, for stability)

For the Praline Buttercream:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup ground hazelnut praline (or crushed caramelized nuts)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Pastry Cream (Optional Layer):

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp butter

For the Chocolate Ganache:

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tsp butter (for shine)
PREPARATION