Dobos Torte
Hungary's spectacular layered cake — thin sponge layers filled with chocolate buttercream, topped with a crackling caramel brittle, a 19th-century Viennese café icon.
About This Recipe
The Dobos torte is Hungary's most elegant and technically demanding cake, created in 1885 by confectioner József C. Dobos for the National General Exhibition in Budapest. Emperor Franz Joseph I reportedly ate it there. The cake was revolutionary: while other cakes used cream fillings that spoiled quickly, Dobos used cooked chocolate buttercream that remained stable longer — a practical innovation. The caramel top layer, scored into triangles, is the cake's signature.
Ingredients
Serves 12
- 6 largeeggs(separated)
- 150 gcaster sugar
- 150 gall-purpose flour(sifted)
- 200 gdark chocolate(for buttercream)
- 200 gunsalted butter(softened)
- 200 gicing sugar
- 4 largeegg yolks(for buttercream)
- 150 gcaster sugar(for caramel topping)
Instructions
- 1
Make the sponge layers
Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale. Fold in flour. Whip whites to stiff peaks and fold in. Spread thin circles on baking paper, bake at 180°C for 8–10 minutes each.
- 2
Make chocolate buttercream
Melt chocolate and cool. Beat butter and icing sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks and melted chocolate, beat until combined.
- 3
Stack the layers
Sandwich sponge layers with buttercream. Reserve the best layer for the top.
- 4
Make the caramel
Melt sugar in a pan until amber caramel. Pour over the reserved top layer and spread quickly. Mark into portions before it sets.
- 5
Finish the cake
Place caramel-topped layer on the cake. Coat the sides with remaining buttercream.
Pro Tips
- →
Work fast with the caramel — it sets within seconds
- →
The recipe makes 5–7 thin layers — more layers make a more impressive cake
Variations
- •
Add rum to the buttercream
- •
Use milk chocolate instead of dark
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated. The caramel softens — add it fresh if making ahead. Freeze without the caramel.
History & Origin
Created by confectioner József Dobos in 1885 for the Budapest National Exhibition. He kept the recipe secret for 23 years, selling the cake from his shop and supplying it to the Habsburg court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many layers should it have?
Traditionally 5–7 thin sponge layers. The caramel top is the signature element.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · 12 servings total
Time Summary
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