The Sacher cake is definitely one of my favorite chocolate cakes. I got the recipe from an old book that I bought in South Tyrol in the late eighties during a skiing holiday, if I remember correctly.
It’s not an easy cake to make, you need to pay attention to the steps and be very precise. Despite this, things can go wrong, for example, once my chocolate glaze seized, and I ended up serving something like a chocolate brittle for my dad’s birthday. Very tasty, but it didn’t look like a Sacher at all.
So with a bit of patience, everything can be done, and you’ll see that you’ll make a great impression with your friends.
The recipe for the Sacher cake is jealously guarded at the pastry shop of the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, mine is not intended to be the original recipe, but a good version that will not disappoint you.
Let’s stay on the Tyrolean theme with some very delicious recipes
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 290.37 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 31.48 (g) of which sugars 20.05 (g)
- Proteins 5.05 (g)
- Fat 16.72 (g) of which saturated 10.18 (g)of which unsaturated 6.05 (g)
- Fibers 2.28 (g)
- Sodium 30.74 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Sacher Cake
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 1/2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 1/4 oz dark chocolate
- 5 eggs
- as needed apricot jam
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 1/2 oz 65% dark chocolate
- 1/3 cup sugar
Tools
- Cake Pan
- Thermometer
Preparation of the Sacher Cake
Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a bain-marie.
Cream the butter, kept at room temperature, with half of the sugar. Then add the chocolate spoon by spoon while mixing gently.
Separate the yolks from the whites.
Add one yolk at a time to the butter and chocolate mixture, waiting for it to be well incorporated before adding the next one.
Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks with the remaining sugar and add a portion of it to the butter mixture using a whisk.
Gently incorporate the remaining meringue alternating with the flour.
Line a springform pan with parchment paper (or butter and flour it), pour in the mixture, and bake in a hot oven at 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Always perform the skewer test; it should come out dry.
Let the cake cool, cut it in half, and fill it with apricot jam.
Bring two tablespoons of jam to a boil with one tablespoon of water, strain it, and spread it over the surface of the cake.
Now prepare the glaze.
Dissolve the sugar in the water, and while stirring, boil it for 5 minutes in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Let the syrup cool, add the chocolate and stir to melt it until smooth. Place it back on low heat and cook while stirring until it thickens and a small amount of the mixture forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water. Remove the glaze from the heat, stir for another 3 minutes to cool it slightly, then pour and spread it quickly and evenly over the cake.
Let the Sacher cake cool before serving, but do not put it in the refrigerator.
According to tradition, Sacher cake should be served with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream, it’s your choice.
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FAQ
What is the history of the Sacher cake?
The history of the Sacher Cake (or Sachertorte) is wrapped in an aura of legend and takes root in the imperial Vienna of the 19th century. The cake is today a symbol of Austrian pastry and has a fascinating story related to its creation and fame.
Origin of the Sacher Cake
The story begins in 1832, when Prince Klemens von Metternich, an influential diplomat of the Austrian Empire, ordered his pastry chefs to create a new dessert to impress important guests. However, the head chef suddenly fell ill, and the task was given to a 16-year-old apprentice, Franz Sacher. Despite his young age and the pressure of preparing something extraordinary for a high-ranking guest, Sacher created what would become one of the most famous cakes in the world.
The Success and Distribution
After its creation, the cake received a warm reception and became popular among the Viennese nobility. Franz Sacher continued his pastry career and opened his own grocery and wine store in Vienna. However, it was Franz’s son, Eduard Sacher, who perfected the recipe while working at the pastry shop of Hotel Demel, one of the most prestigious establishments in the city. Eduard later opened Hotel Sacher in Vienna in 1876, where the cake became the hotel’s signature dessert.
The Legal Dispute: “Original Sacher-Torte” vs. “Eduard Sacher-Torte”
In the 20th century, a famous legal dispute occurred between Hotel Sacher and the Demel pastry shop over who had the right to use the name “Original Sacher-Torte”. Hotel Sacher claimed that the cake served in their restaurant was the true original recipe created by Franz Sacher and perfected by his son Eduard, while Demel, where Eduard had worked, claimed the right to sell the cake as “Original”.
After a long legal battle lasting years, an agreement was reached in 1963: Hotel Sacher would continue to use the name “Original Sacher-Torte”, while Demel could sell its version as “Eduard Sacher-Torte”. Both cakes are similar but differ slightly in preparation method and the placement of the apricot jam.
The Sacher Cake Today
Today, the Sacher Cake is known worldwide and represents an icon of Viennese pastry. Hotel Sacher continues to produce the “Original Sacher-Torte” following a secret recipe that has remained unchanged for almost 200 years. The cake is handmade and can be purchased in various sizes at the hotel or ordered online to be shipped worldwide.
In addition to the secret recipe, another characteristic element of the Sacher Cake is its presentation: it is served with a portion of unsweetened whipped cream, as the sweetness of the jam and chocolate is balanced perfectly by the fresh cream.
This cake is more than just a dessert: it is a piece of Austrian history that continues to be celebrated by anyone who tastes it.
