In Vienna, Let Them Eat Cake
World Famous Sacher Torte Celebrates 175 Years
In the U.S., cake is nearly as important at a birthday party as the birthday boy (or girl) is. In Vienna this past week, it was all about the cake. Austria’s famous cake, the “Sacher torte” celebrated its 175th birthday complete with a serenade by Montserrat Caballe, an opera star, appropriately enough for Vienna, and a rooftop party.
The cake, a slightly dry chocolate cake with an apricot jam filling and a chocolate coating, is produced exclusively by Vienna’s Hotel Sacher. According to the hotel, the recipe for the cake was dreamed up by Franz Sacher, a 16-year-old apprentice in 1832 at the court of Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich. Sacher was filling in for his boss and ordered to develop a dessert for some important guests.
The Hotel Sacher, located opposite the Opera in central Vienna, was built about 44 years later by Sacher’s son Eduard and has closely guarded the recipe over the years. Throughout its history, the hotel has been involved in a legal battle with Demel, a local pastry shop, which also produced a cake it called the “original Sacher torte.” The battle concluded in 1965 with the pastry shop’s cake being called “Demels Sachertorte” and differs from the Hotel Sacher’s cake in that the layer of apricot jam is directly beneath the chocolate coating.
"There is only one original," said Elisabeth Guertler, who runs the hotel now. Hotel officials have revealed that only natural products, including flour, eggs, sugar, butter and apricot jam, are used to make the cake, which is traditionally served with whipped cream because most Viennese consider it to be too dry on its own. Beyond that, they are mum. For those wanting to give it a try, however, a close version can be found at Delia online.
Since that fateful day in 1832, the Sacher torte has gained worldwide recognition. A true sign of its cultural significance, the Count on Sesame Street refers to the Countess as “my little Sachertorte” before he sings the “Number of the Day” song.
Over the years, the cake has been sold in a wooden box with gold corners. Today, about 360,000 of the Sacher tortes are sold in the distinctive boxes and about a third of those are exported around the world. The cakes cane keep for a number of weeks and they come in a variety of sizes and shapes, including in the form of dice.
And while the birthday of the Sacher torte is a big deal in Vienna, it's not the only thing going on in the Austrian capital this summer. Check out the numerous events on tap for visitors and residents alike.
