Chocolate Torte

There are two ways to enjoy this cake, the Swiss way, serving it with crisp meringue layers, and the French way, refrigerating the cake overnight to allow the meringue to absorb moisture from the buttercream and cake. You can use a number of liqueurs besides the tangerine recommended here: green Chartreuse, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, kirsch, reduced port, etc.

Each component—meringue, cake, and buttercream—is described separately with its own list of ingredients and can be made individu