A tempting combination of fluffy dough, fruity couverture and chocolaty icing: Here's how to make the classic Viennese Sachertorte yourself!
The Sachertorte belongs to Vienna like the Waltz and Wiener Schnitzel.
So that you can enjoy this dream of chocolate at home at any time, I'll tell you today how easy it is to make your own Sachertorte. You should allow a little time for this. The result is absolutely heavenly!
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Taste and Occasion
For me, the best Sacher cake is the one you make at home in your own oven. And that's why I have a recipe for you that is certainly close to the original Sachertorte recipe.
Before the Sachertorte recipe, a little history. It's very long, exciting and yes, it's full of conflicts. Two houses were forever fighting over the ownership of the only true "Original Sachertorte recipe": the Hotel Sacher and the K.u.K Hofzuckerbäckerei Demel.
The main issue was who invented it, how much jam it should contain, and who was allowed to sell it under this name. Since the 1960s, it has been clear that under trademark law only the hotel of the same name is allowed to sell an original Viennese Sachertorte.
The recipe is still kept strictly under lock and key. Nevertheless, a recipe can be found on the website. And the basics can be guessed. In any case, the foundation is a mixture of lavish Viennese biscuit cake and sponge cake. Of course without margarine, marzipan or alcohol.
Ingredients
The key to the success of the Viennese Sacher Cake is high-quality ingredients. On the other hand, the really gentle folding in of flour and beaten egg white. Anyone who stirs too much here risks that the mixture will become hard and flat in the oven rather than fluffy and high.
In the fluffy and moist dough, I always add some cocoa as well as chocolate coating. This makes it easy to make the original Sacher Torte darker. Also, the baking time should not be too long, so that the Sachertorte remains moist. Jam and icing also contribute to this. Traditionally, apricot jam is used to spread the Sachertorte.
How to make the Sachertorte
Let's start with the preparation: You need a small springform pan (8 inches) for this Sachertorte recipe. For the dough, chop the chocolate coating into small pieces and let it melt over a water bath or in the microwave. Mix flour, baking powder and cocoa in a bowl. Separate the eggs.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and half the sugar until stiff. Beat the soft, room temperature butter with the remaining sugar until foamy. Add the egg yolks and stir to a homogeneous, foamy mixture. Stir in the melted, lukewarm couverture and continue beating a little more.
Now, carefully sift the flour mixture with a whisk onto the mixture and fold it in, at the end also carefully fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour everything into the prepared form and bake on the middle shelf at 360°F / 180°C for about 35 minutes. During the first 10 minutes, leave the door open a little bit (preferably with a wooden spoon stuck).
Then, remove the cake from the tin, turn it over and let it cool down on a cake rack. Cut the cake horizontally once with a large sharp knife or thread. Coat it with slightly warmed and stirred jam and put the cake back together. Spread the outside of the cake with an even layer of jam.
For the Sacher glaze, put the sugar with the water in a small pot and let it simmer for a few minutes. Chop the chocolate coating finely and stir in several portions with a whisk. The mixture should be homogeneous and without pieces. Attention: It tightens quickly!
It is best to pour the glaze over the cake all at once and spread it smooth all around with as few strokes as possible using a pallet. Drain off the excess glaze and allow the glaze to set. And that was all about it!
Top Tip
I make the Sacher glaze with sugar syrup. If you want it to go faster, it also does couverture or cake glaze. It's best to pour over the cake all at once and spread it with a few strokes.
Admittedly, I usually don't manage to do this very well. But the main thing is that the homemade Sachertorte tastes good. And it does! Just like its light-colored relative made of white couverture 🙂
Recipe Card
Original Sachertorte Recipe
Equipment
- small springform pan (approx. 8 inches)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 5 eggs, medium-sized
- 110 grams (0.9 cups) powdered sugar
- 110 grams (½ cups) butter , room temperature
- 110 grams (3.9 oz) dark chocolate coating
- 100 grams (0.8 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
To coat
- 150 grams (0.6 cups) apricot jam , up to 200g
For the glaze
- 120 grams (½ cups) dark chocolate coating
- 160 grams (0.8 cups) sugar
- 100 milliliters (0.4 cups) water
Instructions
- Grease a small springform pan (8 inches/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 into small pieces and let it melt in the microwave or over a water bath. Mix flour, baking powder and cocoa. Separate the eggs.
- Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and half the sugar until stiff. Beat the soft, room temperature butter with the remaining sugar until foamy. Add the egg yolks and stir to a homogeneous, foamy mixture. Stir in the melted, lukewarm couverture and continue beating a little more.
- Carefully (!) sift the flour mixture with a whisk onto the mixture and fold it in, at the end also carefully fold in the beaten egg whites.
- Pour everything into the prepared form and bake on the middle shelf for about 35 minutes. During the first 10 minutes, leave the door open a little bit (preferably with a wooden spoon stuck).
- Remove the cake from the tin, turn it over and let it cool down on a cake rack.Cut the cake horizontally once with a large sharp knife or thread. Coat it with slightly warmed and stirred jam and put it back together. Spread the outside of the cake with an even layer of jam.
- For the Sacher glaze, put the sugar with the water in a small pot and let it simmer for a few minutes. Remove from the stove. Chop the chocolate coating finely and stir in several portions with a whisk. The mixture should be homogeneous and without pieces. Attention: It tightens quickly!
- It is best to pour the glaze over the cake all at once and spread it smooth all around with as few strokes as possible using a pallet. Drain off the excess glaze and allow the glaze to set.
Ingredient substitutions
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If you are as big of an Austria fan as I am, you should try my delicious Austrian pancakes with raisins or the classic Linzer Cake with fruit filling.
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About Kathrin & Jan
It's like a little miracle to me every time. Seemingly simple ingredients are made into something that can brighten up your life. Butter, sugar, eggs, and flour melt into an airy biscuit, a fine tart, a juicy cake, or a crispy biscuit. Baking simply makes you happy. Welcome and enjoy our blog!
Kathrin & Jan
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