Sachertorte (austrian Chocolate Cake)

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking squares
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking squares
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325°f (170°c/gas mark 3) and grease and line with parchment, or waxed paper, two 8-inch round cake pans.
• 2 separate the eggs. put the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. beat the yolks until smooth.
• 3 beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until creamy. stir in the egg yolks gradually.
• 4 break the chocolate into pieces and melt in double boiler over low heat or slowly in microwave (10 seconds, stir, 10 seconds, stir & continue until melted) stir chocolate into the creamed mixture.
• 5 put the egg whites into a large bowl, or mixer fitted with a whip attachment, and whisk until they are firm and form soft peaks when you lift the whisk.
• 6 mix the flour into the chocolate mixture. then one spoonful at a time, fold the egg whites into the cake batter with a metal spoon.
• 7 pour the mixture into the cake pans. smooth the top with the back of your spoon and bake the cakes for 35 minutes.
• 8 when baked, run a knife around the edge of the cakes to loosen and turn out a wire rack to cool.
• 9 for filling: melt the chocolate in a bowl. mix in powdered sugar and the butter. use a knife to spread the chocolate paste one half of the cake. then, put the other cake on top.
• 10 melt the preserves in a pan over a low heat. spread it over the top and sides of the cake with a blunt knife.
• 11 for icing: sift the cocoa powder and the powdered sugar into a bowl. add water, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a spreading consistency then spread it all over the cake.