Here's how to make the classic Sachertorte yourself: A tempting combination of fluffy dough, fruity chocolate coating, and chocolatey icing!
Taste and Occasion
Sachertorte is as much a part of Vienna as waltz and Wiener schnitzel. So that you can also enjoy this chocolate dream at home any time, I'll tell you today how you can easily make the cake yourself. Plan a little time. The result is absolutely heavenly!
Before the Sachertorte cake recipe, a little history. The history is very long, exciting, and quite conflicting. Two houses fought forever over the ownership of the only authentic "original recipe": the hotel Sacher and the K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäckerei Demel. The main points of contention were who invented it, how much jam went into it, and who was allowed to sell it under that name. Since the 1960s, it has been clear: under trademark law, only the hotel of the same name is allowed to sell an original Viennese Sachertorte. To this day, the recipe is kept strictly under wraps. Nevertheless, you can find a recipe on the website. And the basics can be guessed as well. A mixture of lush Viennese sponge cake and cake batter. Of course, without margarine, marzipan, or alcohol.
Ingredients
For me, the best Sachertorte is made at home in your own oven. And that's precisely why I have a recipe for you close to the original recipe. In the fluffy and moist dough, I always add a little cocoa in addition to the chocolate coating. It's easy to make the Sachertorte darker that way. Traditionally, apricot jam is used for the coating.
The most important thing for the recipe to succeed is using high-quality ingredients. On the other hand, carefully fold in the flour and beaten egg whites. If you stir too much, you risk the mixture becoming hard and flat in the oven rather than fluffy and high. The baking time should also not be too long so that the cake remains moist. Jam and icing also contribute to this.
How to make the Sachertorte
Let's start with the original Sachertorte: Grease a small springform pan (8-8.5 in / 20-22 cm) and dust with flour. Alternatively, cover the bottom with baking paper. Now, preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C. Chop the chocolate coating and melt in the microwave or over a bain-marie. Mix the flour, baking powder, and cocoa. Separate the eggs. Then, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and half of the sugar until stiff. Beat the soft, room-warm butter with the remaining sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until homogeneous and fluffy. Stir in the melted, lukewarm couverture and beat some more.
Now it's time to carefully (!) sift the flour mixture onto the mixture with a whisk and fold in. In the end, carefully fold in the beaten egg whites as well. Then, pour everything into the prepared pan and bake on the middle shelf for about 35 minutes. Leave the door ajar for the first 10 minutes (preferably with a wooden spoon). Remove the cake from the pan, turn it out and let it cool on a cooling rack.
After this, cut the cake once horizontally with a large sharp knife or thread. Spread with slightly warmed and smoothed jam and reassemble. Spread an even thin layer of jam on the outside as well. For the glaze, place the sugar in a small saucepan with the water and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat. Chop the couverture into small pieces and stir in several portions with a whisk. The mixture should be homogeneous and without lumps. Caution: It sets quickly!
In the end, pour the glaze over the cake and smooth it out with as few strokes as possible using a palette. Allow excess glaze to drip off and the glaze to set. Then it's time for enjoying your homemade Sachertorte!
Top Tip
For a 10 in / 26 cm springform pan, convert the recipe to use 7 eggs. Instead of the typical Sachertorte icing with sugar syrup, you can also use regular ready-made cake icing or chocolate glaze.
Recipe Card
Sachertorte
Equipment
- 1 small springform pan (8 in / 20 cm)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 5 eggs, medium
- 110 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 110 grams (½ cup) butter, at room temperature
- 110 grams (⅔ cup) dark chocolate, coating
- 100 grams (⅘ cup) wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For coating
- 150 grams (⅔ cup) apricot jam, up to 200g
For the glaze
- 120 grams (0.5 cups) dark chocolate coating
- 160 grams (⅘ cup) sugar
- 100 milliliters (7 tablespoons) water
Instructions
- Grease a small springform pan (8-8.5 in / 20-22 cm) and dust with flour; alternatively, cover the bottom with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C. Chop the chocolate coating and melt in the microwave or over a bain-marie. Mix the flour, baking powder, and cocoa. Separate the eggs.
- Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt and half of the sugar until stiff. Beat the soft, room-warm butter with the remaining sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until homogeneous and fluffy. Stir in the melted, lukewarm couverture and beat some more.
- Carefully (!) sift the flour mixture onto the mixture with a whisk and fold in. In the end, carefully fold in the beaten egg whites as well.
- Pour everything into the prepared pan and bake on the middle shelf for about 35 minutes. Leave the door ajar for the first 10 minutes (preferably with a wooden spoon).
- Remove the cake from the pan, turn it out and let it cool on a cooling rack.
- Cut the cake once horizontally with a large sharp knife or thread. Spread with slightly warmed and smoothed jam and reassemble. Spread an even thin layer of jam on the outside as well.
- For the glaze, place the sugar in a small saucepan with the water and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat. Chop the couverture into small pieces and stir in several portions with a whisk. The mixture should be homogeneous and without lumps. Caution: It sets quickly!
- Pour the glaze over the cake and smooth it out with as few strokes as possible using a palette. Allow excess glaze to drip off and the glaze to set.
Ingredient substitutions
Variations
I make the Sachertorte glaze with sugar syrup. If you want it to go faster, chocolate glaze or cake glaze will do. It's best to pour it over the cake all at once and spread it with a few strokes. Admittedly, I usually do not succeed so well. But the main thing is that it tastes good. And it does!
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