Did you ever wish there was a great shortcut to make a fabulous dessert? There is, with this delicious Viennese torte. This seven-layer dessert features a to-die-for chocolate ganache frosting that will have your guests begging for more. We even have two ways to make it: The authentic way, or the super-easy way.
This recipe is one of many, many versions of a classic Viennese torte known as the Dobos torte, which was first created by a Hungarian chef in the late 19th century. The unifying theme among all variations on the Dobos torte is layers…lots and lots of layers. We always call this the Seven-Layer Torte but usually we make it with just six. Regardless, it’s always been a crowd (and kid) favorite in our family. The best part is that it looks like it takes a lot of work, but it honestly doesn’t, with this one easy super-secret shortcut.
Seven-Layer Viennese Torte – Two Versions
Seven Layer VIennese Torte - Easy Version
This super-easy seven-layer Viennese Torte is a delicious crowd pleaser.
CourseDessert
CuisineAmerican
Keywordchocolate, ganache, pound cake, Viennese torte
Prep Time 30 minutes
Chilling time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
For the Frosting
- 6ouncessemi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2cupboiling water
- 4egg yolks (preferably pasteurized because they will be raw)
- 1tbspcognac or brandyoptional
- 1/2cupbutter, at room temperature(one stick)
For the Cake
- 116-ouncefrozen pound cake
Instructions
For the frosting:
Put the chocolate chips and the boiling water in a blender; blend until smooth. Add egg yolks, cognac (you can skip this if you are making cake for kids), and butter and continue blending until smooth. The frosting will be creamy but may appear a little runny. Pour it into a bowl and cover it loosely; refrigerate for 2 hours until it is thick and creamy.
For the cake:
Carefully slice the poundcake into seven horizontal layers (or six, if that's all you can get out of it). Spread frosting carefully over the first layer, top with the second layer of cake, frost again, and repeat until the layers are neatly stacked and frosted. Spread remaining frosting on the top and outside of the loaf.
Chill until ready to serve, for at least an hour. Slice in rectangular pieces about 1/2 inch thick.
So let’s first look at how to do this the easy way. First you’re going to slice up the poundcake into (ideally) seven layers, or six if that’s all you can get out of it.
Then spread the frosting carefully over the first layer, top with the second layer of cake, frost again, and repeat until the layers are neatly stacked and frosted. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and outside of the loaf.
Chill until ready to serve, for at least an hour. Slice in rectangular pieces about 1/2 inch thick. Serves 12.
Viennese Torte – Classic Version
Now for the (more labor intensive) classic version.
Seven-Layer Viennese Torte - Classic Version
A classic version of a seven-layer Viennese torte - rich with a creamy chocolate ganache frosting. The cake is adapted from The Daring Kitchen.
CourseDessert
CuisineAmerican
Keywordchocolate, dessert, ganache, pound cake, Viennese torte
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Chilling time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
For the frosting:
- 6ouncessemi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2cupboiling water
- 4egg yolks (preferably pasteurized, because they will be raw)
- 1tbspcognac or brandy(optional)
- 1/2cupbutter at room temperature(one stick)
For the cake:
- 6large eggs, separated, at room temperature
- 1 1/3cupspowdered sugar, divided
- 1tspvanilla extract
- 1cup(plus 2 tbsp) cake flour, sifted(or substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tbsp cornstarch, sifted)
- pinchsalt
Instructions
For the frosting:
Put the chocolate chips and the boiling water in a blender; blend until smooth. Add egg yolks, cognac (you can skip this if you are making cake for kids), and butter and continue blending until smooth. The frosting will be creamy but may appear a little runny. Pour it into a bowl and cover it loosely; refrigerate for 2 hours until it is thick and creamy.
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare two large flat jelly roll pans (cookie pans with a 1-inch lip) by cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each.
Place the egg yolks together in a medium bowl. Add 2/3 cup of the powdered sugar and the vanilla to the egg yolks, and then blend with a hand mixer until the mixture is thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2/3 cup powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Using a soft rubber spatula, gradually and gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture (some white streaks should remain). Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt and fold it in to the egg mixture slowly and carefully.
Divide the mixture in half and spread each half thinly on top of the parchment paper on the jelly roll/cookie sheet. Bake in the top rack of the oven for five minutes, or until just barely golden brown around the edges. Invert the cakes on a cutting board and peel the paper off the back.
Cut each sheet into three equal rectangles. Set the first rectangle on a platter and cover it with a layer of frosting. Place a second layer on top of the first, frost, and then repeat for the remaining layers.
Use the remaining frosting to cover the sides and top. Chill until ready to serve, for at least an hour. Slice in 1/2-inch thick rectangles.
Let’s take a look at how this cake comes together. First, you’re going to spread the batter out onto jelly roll pans lined with parchment paper.
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Then, after a quick five-minute baking process, you can invert them onto a board and peel off the parchment paper.
At that point all you need to do is cut each cake into three identical rectangles, and then frost them up like the first cake.
How do you like these avant-garde offset layers?
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Postscript: Is it delicious? Well, you’ll have to ask these two rascally raccoons. We spent about an hour taking pictures of the cake in the backyard, and then we suddenly remembered we had to pick something up at the school, so we dashed out…and when we returned these mischievous varmints were sitting out on the table enjoying a fancy dessert, complete with red rose.
They gave it two paws up, and we think you will too.
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Easy Seven-Layer Viennese Torte
P.S. Want another amazing chocolate cake recipe? Try this Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake – it’s made in a pressure cooker!
