Sachertorte

Sachertorte is a chocolate cake associated with Vienna, combining a chocolate sponge, apricot jam and a smooth chocolate glaze. In the Hotel Sacher version, jam forms a thin layer through the middle and also coats the top beneath the glaze. Unsweetened whipped cream is a customary accompaniment, balancing the cake's dense texture and sweetness.^[1][2]

The cake takes its name from Franz Sacher, whose creation for Prince Metternich's household is traditionally dated to 1832, when he was a young apprentice. His son Eduard opened Hotel Sacher in Vienna in 1876, and the cake became closely tied to the house. The hotel's exact recipe remains private, although it publishes an approximate version for home baking. That version uses butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate and wheat flour, with beaten egg whites folded into the mixture before baking. The cooled cake is split, spread with warmed apricot jam and coated with chocolate glaze.^[3][2]