Sachertorte - Simplified

We teamed up with Austrian chef Franz and BBC food presenter Leyla to show you how one of Austria’s most famous cakes is made: the chocolatey Sachertorte!

Franz is the head chef at the Austrian embassy in London and has made countless Sacher cakes in his life. He was kind enough to show us his simplified Sachertorte recipe, which, he says, “has all the goodness of the original (if not better) but is easier to recreate at home”.

How to make it:

Step 1:

Melt butter in a saucepan. Once melted, take off heat and add chocolate. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 356°F.

Step 2:

Separate eggs and whip up egg whites with a pinch of salt and the sugar. Mix the egg yolk into the chocolate/butter mix and transfer into a large bowl.

Step 3:

Slowly fold in the whipped egg whites. 

Step 4:

Put the cake in the buttered and floured tin. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180°C for 15 min, then reduce heat to 170°C and bake for another 35 min till done. (If the cake is not baked all the way through, add another 10 min.). Take cake out of the tin and let fully cool before proceeding. 

Step 5:

Boil apricot jam with rum or schnapps (whichever you prefer and have available). Cut cake in the middle and remove top, fill with the jam, then reassemble again. Pour the rest of the jam on top of the cake and spread it evenly over the whole cake including on the sides. 

Step 6:

While the cake is cooling, melt the butter for the glace in a bowl over a water bath. Once melted, remove from heat and add the chocolate. Stir gently until all chocolate is melted. (Careful not to get any water inside the chocolate!). Glace the whole cake with the chocolate. Let the cake rest in a cool dry place until chocolate has set – then it’s ready to serve! Serve with whipped cream for added authenticity.

Tip: You can keep the cake in the fridge for it to last longer. Just take it out 1 hour before you plan to serve it.