Jose Agar
Baking

Louise Slice (Louise Cake)

A three-layer New Zealand tea-table classic: a buttery shortbread base, a tart raspberry jam middle, and a soft coconut meringue baked until just golden.

The Jose Agar Editorial Team Tested and written in a home kitchen · Updated June 2026

How this was made: Recipes are developed and kitchen-tested by our editorial team. We use AI tools to assist with drafting, structuring and proof-reading; a human editor reviews and tests every recipe before publication. No fictional author is used.

Louise slice cut into squares, showing a pale base, red jam layer and golden coconut meringue top
Louise slice cut into squares, with the three layers clearly set: base, jam and coconut meringue.
20 minPrep
30 minCook
24 piecesServes
EasySkill

Louise slice is one of those bakes that looks far more involved than it is. Three layers sound like work, but each one is quick, and the whole thing comes together using a single egg split into yolks and whites. It is a fixture of school galas, morning teas and church fairs, and it keeps the shortbread, jam and coconut meringue in a tidy balance that few other slices manage.

The recipe travelled to New Zealand with British settlers and is often said to be named for Princess Louise, one of Queen Victoria's daughters, though no one can prove it. Whatever its origins, it has long been made here as a slice rather than a cake. If you have made our caramel slice, the method will feel familiar: press a base, add a middle layer, finish with a topping, then bake and cool before cutting.

Ingredients

Shortbread base

  • 125 g butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
  • 2 egg yolks (keep the whites for the topping)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Jam layer

  • 1/3 cup raspberry jam

Coconut meringue

  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut

Method

  1. Heat the oven and line the tin. Set the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Line a 20×30 cm slice tin with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides so you can lift the slice out later.
  2. Make the base. Beat the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla, then stir in the sifted flour and baking powder to form a soft dough.
  3. Press and pre-bake. Press the dough firmly and evenly into the lined tin. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the base is set and just pale golden at the edges. It does not need to colour all over.
  4. Spread the jam. While the base is still warm, spread the raspberry jam over it in a thin, even layer right to the edges. A warm base lets the jam glide rather than tear the surface.
  5. Whisk the meringue. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking until thick and glossy, then fold in the desiccated coconut gently with a metal spoon so you keep the air in.
  6. Top and bake again. Spoon the coconut meringue over the jam and spread it gently to cover. Return to the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the topping is set and pale golden but still soft underneath.
  7. Cool, then cut. Leave to cool completely in the tin before lifting out on the paper. Cut into 24 squares or fingers with a warm, dry knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean edges.
Tips
  • Separate the eggs while cold, then let the whites come to room temperature; they whisk to a fuller volume that way.
  • Use a clean, grease-free bowl for the whites. Any trace of yolk or fat will stop them reaching stiff peaks.
  • Raspberry jam is traditional, but plum, apricot or a homemade berry jam all work. A tart jam balances the sweet coconut best.
  • For a neater finish, cut the slice once it is fully cold; the meringue compresses and smears if cut while warm.
  • Stored airtight at room temperature, Louise slice keeps well for three to four days.

If you like the soft-meringue-and-fruit pairing here, our classic pavlova works on the same principle of egg whites whisked to stiff peaks, just on a larger scale. For more on how we test and write these recipes, see our editorial and AI policy, or browse the rest of the collection on the home page.

Sources & references

Background reading used while developing and verifying this recipe. Quantities and timings were confirmed by our own kitchen testing.

  1. Edmonds Cooking, Louise cake recipe, for traditional New Zealand base, jam and coconut meringue proportions.
  2. Chelsea Sugar, Louise cake recipe, for guidance on the meringue topping and bake times.
  3. Cloudy Kitchen, Louise cake, for background on the slice's history and the egg-yolk-enriched base.
  4. New Zealand food-safety guidance on home storage of egg-based and butter-based bakes at room temperature.

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