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A slice of sacher torte with whipped cream on a dessert plate
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5 from 58 votes

Sacher Torte Recipe

You're going to love this Sacher Torte Recipe with it's delicious two-layers of chocolate sponge cake filled with apricot jam and glazed with a smooth chocolate glaze. It's a classic and popular Austrian cake that's typically served with whipped cream. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how to make Sacher Torte.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Rest3 hours
Total Time5 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Austrian
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 617kcal
Author: Sabine

Ingredients

Cake

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup superfine sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean* (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 7 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate bars, melted and cooled
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cake flour

Filling

  • 17.5 oz apricot jam
  • ¼ cup rum

Glaze

  • 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate bars, finely chopped
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter and ½ cup (100g) of superfine sugar on medium-high speed until it is pale and fluffy for about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and one egg yolk at a time and mix to combine after each egg yolk. Then add the melted chocolate and beat until creamy for about 2 minutes. Set aside.
  • In another large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Then add the remaining ½ cup (100g) of superfine sugar and mix on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
  • Carefully fold the whipped egg whites in 3 additions into the chocolate mixture. Fold only in one direction and with the same repeating movement. Don't overwork, or the cake will turn out flat. Then add the cake flour in 2 additions and fold just to incorporate, and no lumps remain. Take care not to overwork the batter. Otherwise, the batter will deflate, and the cake won't rise as high as necessary. The batter should be light, fluffy, and silky.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spread evenly, and bake for about 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  • Place a mesh strainer over a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan or dutch oven, and press the apricot jam through the mesh strainer into the saucepan. Discard the fruit pulp. Add the rum and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes until hot, smooth, and combined. Then remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Cut a thin layer off the top of your cake to create a flat surface. Then flip the cake upside down and cut it in half horizontally. It's best to place the cake on a cake turner at this point. Spread about ⅔ of the jam all over the bottom cake layer. Place the top cake layer on top and evenly spread the remaining jam all over the top and the sides of the cake. The cake should be completely covered in jam. Let dry uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour or until the jam is dry to the touch.
  • To make the chocolate glaze, place a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or dutch oven over low heat and fill 2-inch (5cm) high with water. Place a large and heatproof glass bowl on top to completely close the saucepan and make sure that the bowl doesn't touch the water. Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl and slowly melt for about 5 minutes. Stir often with a rubber spatula and remove until the butter is completely melted and you see a few small pieces of chocolate in the glaze. Then remove the bowl from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes until completely melted and smooth. Stir occasionally.
  • All at once and in a circulating movement, pour the chocolate glaze on top of the cake and quickly spread with a long frosting spatula to level and let the glaze run down the sides of the cake to cover the cake completely. Work quickly and with just a few movements. Please use a cake turner for easier handling. Let the glaze dry for 1 hour.
  • Serve with whipped cream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

  • Prepping the Vanilla Bean. First, cut off the straight end of the vanilla bean. Then place the tip of your sharp knife below the curled end and cut the vanilla bean through the middle of the bean lengthwise. Although you don't need to cut it all the way through, it's ok when you do so. Then open the vanilla bean and scrape out the flavorful seeds with the back of your knife. Then just use the seeds.
  • Stick to the Ingredients in the Recipe. Use only the ingredients and substitutions I recommend in the ingredient section above. Otherwise, the results could be very different. 
  • More questions? Make this recipe perfect every time. So be sure to check the full post above. I included easy step-by-step photo instructions and a video to make it easy for you to replicate this recipe. You will also find tips for making this cake along with storage info.

Nutrition

Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 850IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 3mg