{Sachertorte} Classic Austrian Chocolate Cake

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I don’t know how to explain it, but you will just absolutely love this cake. It’s not just a classic, it’s a perfect balance of dark chocolate and sweetness from the apricot jam that makes it so elegant, so out of the ordinary.

Recipe Ingredients

These are the ingredients that you’ll need to make this recipe:

• bittersweet chocolate (about 65-70% cacao) 
• unsalted butter divided and softened
• confectioners’ sugar
• pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• kosher salt
• large eggs at room temperature and separated
• all-purpose flour well sifted
• granulated sugar
• apricot jam ideally the smoothest variety possible
• aged rum
• heavy cream 
• honey

How To Make This Recipe

These are the instructions to make this recipe:

• Melt The Chocolate: Coarsely chop half of the chocolate then, using the microwave or a double-boiler, melt the chocolate. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Prepare The Cake Pan: Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper, then butter, and flour the pan. Heat the oven to 325ºF and arrange a rack in the middle.
• Make The Cake Batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together some of the butter, all the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt on medium speed until creamy and well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one by one, and beat the mixture on medium-high speed until pale yellow and very light in texture, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. Add the flour and blend on low speed until just combined – the batter should be thick.
• Whip The Egg Whites: In a second bowl using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites on low until a lot of small bubbles appear. Increase mixer speed to medium, add the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon until glossy, until soft peaks form.
  By hand, stir about one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate base to lighten the batter. When the first addition is combined, carefully add the rest of the whites and fold very gently until no streaks of white remain.
• Bake The Cake: Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, and the top is set, about 50 to 55 minutes. Remove pan from oven, run a knife around the inside edge to separate the cake from the pan. Set aside to cool completely.
• Make The Apricot Glaze: Combine the apricot preserves and rum in a small saucepan and heat, stirring, until thinner in consistency and ho. Strain glaze through a sieve, using a spatula to push on the solids. Let cool slightly.
• Slice The Cake In Half: Remove the sides from the springform pan. Invert the cake and place back on the springform base, so that the parchment paper is facing up. Discard the paper, and cut the cake into two equal, horizontal layers. Spread about half of the apricot glaze between the two layers, replace the top, then brush remaining glaze on the top and sides of the cake. Place the cake on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
• Make The Chocolate Ganache: For the ganache, place the remaining of chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, mix together the cream, honey, butter, and salt over medium heat until just simmering and combined. Pour the cream mixture over chocolate and allow to stand, about 2 min.
  Using a rubber spatula, gently stir together the chocolate mixture until glossy and smooth. Allow mixture to cool until no longer warm to the touch, stirring often.
• Coat The Cake In Ganache: Working quickly, pour the ganache over the glazed cake, allowing the chocolate to run over the edges. If necessary, use a small offset spatula to cover any bare spots. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator to allow glaze to set. Serve with whipped cream.

What Is Sacher Torte Origin?

Sachertorte is the ultimate in special-occasion dessert here in Austria. And though the original – served at Hotel Sacher – is a closely-kept secret, riffs are everywhere from cookbooks and home cook recipe boxes. No exaggeration, Sachertorte is to Austria what apple pie is to America — essentially, an edible national treasure.

Austrian Chocolate Cake Testing

So, a few months ago, just about a year after moving to Vienna, I decided it was about time to perfect the recipe. Armed with a stack of Viennese pastry books, my baking extraordinaire mother-in-law as chief advisor, and a serious stockpile of dark chocolate, I spent a few months tweaking, refining, and tasting this cake.

Truth be told, my recipe is a teeny bit less than traditional – it’s moister than most Sachertorte I’ve sampled (life’s too short to eat dry cake, you know?) and I’ve swapped the more traditional, boiled icing for a more indulgent and simpler, super dark chocolate ganache. But, all the non-negotiables that make a Sachertorte such a classic are well represented — I’m talking rich chocolate cake, rum-infused apricot jam, and a silky chocolate glaze.

Tips For Making This Cake

Full disclosure: This {Sachertorte} Classic Austrian Chocolate Apricot Cake recipe is a bit of a project, worthy of that fancy-schmancy dinner party, best-friend’s birthday fête, or holiday feast you’ve got coming up. The good news? You can (and should) make it at least a day or two in advance to allow the chocolate flavor to deepen, and the apricot jam to really permeate the cake layers. 

Now, go stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!