The classic Sacher Torte is made with chocolate cake layers, apricot preserves and a shiny chocolate-glaze finish. It’s a lovely cake fit for any occasion.
For my first job fresh out of pastry school, I worked for a well know Austrian pastry chef at his wholesale bakery. The guy was old-school with very strict standards and he maintained a pretty intense work environment. I will say though, I learned more during the year I worked for him than I did in pastry school. By the time I left that job I could ice a cake in 30 seconds, all while working cleanly and efficiently.
Though he was a harsh task master, the recipes I got from the Austrian pastry chef are rock solid. More than 25 years later I still use them. Sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to translate one of those recipes for home baking.
I’ve had the classic Sacher Torte on my list of post ideas for quite some time. I finally looked up the recipe in my old book so I could share it with you.
I jumped right in, figuring the cake would turn out perfectly since I already knew this recipe and had scaled down the ingredients years ago.
After baking, decorating, slicing and photographing the cake I took a taste. It seemed a little dry to me. This is a different kind of cake from the usual rich butter cakes filled with buttercream. But still, I wasn’t happy with it and knew it could be better.
I waited a day and tasted the cake again. It was a little better. I think the preserves had a chance to absorb into the cake, making it a little softer. But I still wasn’t satisfied.
As we learned in the Science of Cake Batter Series, a cake batter has structure builders and tenderizers. Since the Sacher cake was a little dry, I needed to up the tenderizers and reduce the structure builders. Sugar is a tenderizer, so I increased the sugar from 3/4 cup in the original recipe to a full cup. I reduced the eggs (structure builder) from 9 to 8 and reduced the other structure builder (flour) from 1 1/4 cups to 1 cup.
That did the trick. This cake still has the classic taste and texture of a true Sacher Torte, but is a little softer. I do like the cake better after a day or two when the preserves have had time to absorb into the cake. Which means, of course, that this is a great recipe to make ahead.
Click through the slider to see how to make a classic Sacher Torte:
Serves 8
This recipe for the classic Sacher Torte is one I learned to make when I worked for a well-known Austrian pastry chef.
1 hrPrep Time
30 minCook Time
1 hr, 30 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup (8 oz, 225g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (8 oz, 225g) granulated sugar, divided in half
- 8 large eggs, separated, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (5.5 oz, 130g) cake flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 6 oz (170g) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
- 1 1/2 cups (18oz, 510g) apricot preserves
- 1/4 cup (2 oz, 60 ml) dark rum
- 8 oz (230g) semi-sweet chocolate , chopped
- 1/2 cup (4 oz, 115g) unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp (1.4 oz, 40g) corn syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F convection or 350°F regular
- Line the bottom of a 9 cake pan with parchment paper , do not butter the pan.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
- Cream the butter and 1/2 the granulated sugar until light and aerated.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Mix in the sifted dry ingredients, don't over mix.
- Whisk the chocolate into the batter.
- Whip the egg whites to soft peak.
- Slowly add the remaining sugar and whip to full peak.
- Fold the egg whites into the batter in 3rds, mixing just until there are no streaks of egg white visible.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the middle of the cake springs back when pressed or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a cooling rack until completely cooled (see note).
- Stir the rum into the apricot preserves.
- Using a serrated knife trim the top of the cake so it's flat.
- Split the cake into 2 layers.
- Spread 1/3 of the apricot mixture onto the bottom layer and place the top layer onto the cake.
- Warm the remaining apricot preserves in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Strain the preserves into a clean bowl to remove the chunky bits of fruit.
- Ice the top and sides of the cake with the remaining apricot preserves.
- Place the cake onto a cooling rack set over a clean sheet pan .
- Allow the cake to air-dry for at least an hour.
- Microwave the the chocolate with the butter in 30 second increments until both are melted.
- Add the corn syrup to the chocolate/butter mixture.
- Pour the warm glaze over the cake, using a small spatula to fill in any gaps.
- Allow the glaze to set before moving to a serving platter.
- For the traditional design, pipe the word "Sacher" onto the cake using melted chocolate. You can use any extra glaze to pipe a border on the cake.
- Store and serve at room temperature.
Notes
The cake can be baked a day or two before assembly, or can be made several weeks ahead and frozen.
The assembled cake will improve for a day or two after being iced as the apricot preserves absorb into the cake.
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Vanilla Layer cake.
Choc Chip Cookie Cake
A Better Carrot Cake
Velvety White Cake
Lemon Mousse Cake
Black Forest Cake Roll
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