Dessert
A classic Viennese chocolate cake with a soft cocoa crumb, a thin apricot jam layer, and a glossy dark chocolate glaze. Elegant, rich, and best served with unsweetened whipped cream.
Recipe video
Heat the oven to 170°C / 340°F. Grease a 23 cm / 9 in round cake pan and line the base with parchment.
Melt 140 g / 4.9 oz dark chocolate gently over a bain-marie or in short microwave bursts. Let it cool until warm, not hot.
Beat the softened butter with powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time.
Stir the melted chocolate into the butter mixture until smooth and glossy.
In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add granulated sugar gradually and beat to soft, shiny peaks.
Fold one third of the meringue into the chocolate base to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining meringue.
Sift the flour over the mixture and fold slowly until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the pan, level the top, and bake for 45–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Warm the apricot jam with 20 g / 0.7 oz water, then strain it for a smooth finish.
Slice the cake horizontally into two even layers. Spread jam between the layers, then brush a thin coat over the top and sides.
For the glaze, boil sugar and water for about 4 minutes, remove from heat, add chopped chocolate, and stir until smooth. Add oil if using.
Pour the warm glaze over the cake in one confident motion, letting it cover the top and sides naturally. Do not overwork it.
Let the glaze set at room temperature. Serve thin slices with unsweetened whipped cream.
