Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Cake: 140 g dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids; 140 g unsalted butter, softened, plus 10 g for greasing; 100 g powdered sugar; 6 large eggs, separated; 100 g granulated sugar; 140 g all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon fine salt.
- Apricot layer: 220 g smooth apricot jam and 15 ml water.
- Chocolate icing: 170 g dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids, 200 g granulated sugar, and 125 ml water.
- To serve: 300 ml cold heavy whipping cream.
Do This
- 1. Heat the oven to 170°C / 340°F conventional or 150°C / 300°F fan. Grease and line a 23 cm / 9-inch springform pan.
- 2. Melt the cake chocolate. Beat the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy, then beat in the yolks, vanilla, and melted chocolate.
- 3. Whip the egg whites with the salt and granulated sugar to medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the chocolate mixture with the flour.
- 4. Bake for 50–55 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and 75 minutes on a rack.
- 5. Split the cake horizontally. Warm the jam with 15 ml water for 2–3 minutes; spread half inside the cake and the rest thinly over the top and sides.
- 6. Boil the icing sugar and 125 ml water to 104°C / 219°F. Cool to 60°C / 140°F, stir in the chocolate, then cool to 35–38°C / 95–100°F. Pour over the cake and let set for 1 hour.
- 7. Whip the cream to soft peaks and serve a generous spoonful alongside each slice.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A beautiful balance: Rich chocolate, bright apricot, and unsweetened whipped cream keep every bite satisfying without feeling overly sweet.
- Classic Viennese character: A fine-crumbed chocolate sponge, thin jam layers, and a traditional-style cooked chocolate icing make this distinctly different from a frosted layer cake.
- Impressive but approachable: A thermometer and a few gentle folding techniques do most of the hard work.
- Excellent made ahead: The cake slices especially neatly the day after assembly.
Grocery List
- Produce: None needed; the apricot flavor comes from jam.
- Dairy: 150 g unsalted butter, 6 large eggs, and 300 ml heavy whipping cream with at least 35% milk fat.
- Pantry: 310 g dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids, 100 g powdered sugar, 300 g granulated sugar, 140 g all-purpose flour, 220 g smooth apricot jam, vanilla extract, and fine salt.
Full Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 140 g dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids, finely chopped
- 140 g unsalted butter, softened to 20–22°C / 68–72°F
- 10 g unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
- 100 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon / 5 ml vanilla extract
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 140 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon / 1.5 g fine salt
For the Apricot Filling and Coating
- 220 g smooth apricot jam; if using chunky jam, strain it first and then weigh out 220 g
- 1 tablespoon / 15 ml water
For the Glossy Chocolate Icing
- 170 g dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids, very finely chopped
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 125 ml water
For Serving
- 300 ml cold heavy whipping cream, at least 35% milk fat
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the pan and ingredients
Heat the oven to 170°C / 340°F conventional or 150°C / 300°F fan, with a rack in the center. Grease the base and sides of a 23 cm / 9-inch springform pan with the extra 10 g butter, then line the base with parchment paper.
Separate the eggs, keeping every trace of yolk out of the whites. Set out a clean, grease-free bowl for whipping the whites. You will also need a fine-mesh sieve, a flexible spatula, a cooling rack, a long serrated knife, and a digital kitchen thermometer.
Step 2: Make the chocolate butter mixture
Put the 140 g cake chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, keeping the bowl above the water rather than touching it. Stir until melted, then remove from the heat and let cool to 35–40°C / 95–104°F. It should remain fluid but feel only slightly warm.
Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer for 4–5 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla, followed by the melted chocolate, just until smooth.
Step 3: Whip the whites and fold the batter
In the clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the 100 g granulated sugar over 1–2 minutes, then continue beating until the whites are glossy and hold medium-stiff peaks: the peaks should stand up with a slight bend at their tips.
Fold one-quarter of the whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it. Add half the remaining whites, sift half the flour over them, and fold gently with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining whites and flour. Turn the bowl as you fold, reaching down to the bottom, and stop as soon as no flour pockets or white streaks remain.
Step 4: Bake and cool the cake completely
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and gently level the surface. Bake for 50–55 minutes, until the cake springs back lightly when touched and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs, but no wet batter. Avoid opening the oven during the first 40 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge, release the springform ring, and carefully turn the cake onto a rack. Remove the base and parchment, then leave to cool completely for approximately 75 minutes. The cake must be cool before you cut or coat it.
Step 5: Add the thin apricot layers
If the cake has a pronounced dome, trim it level with a serrated knife. Slice the cake horizontally into two even layers. For the smoothest finished top, plan to use the original flat bottom of the cake as the upper surface.
Warm the apricot jam with 15 ml water in a small saucepan over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring until smooth and spreadable. Do not reduce it into a thick paste. Spread half the warm jam mixture in a thin, even layer over the lower cake layer, stopping about 5 mm from the edge.
Replace the top layer and spread the remaining jam thinly over the top and sides, smoothing away any ridges. Place the assembled cake on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Leave the coating to settle while you prepare and cool the icing.
Step 6: Cook the glossy chocolate icing
Place the 200 g granulated sugar and 125 ml water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Once the syrup boils, stop stirring and cook until it reaches 104°C / 219°F, approximately 5–7 minutes from the start of heating. Use the temperature, rather than the clock, as your guide.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool to 60°C / 140°F. Add the finely chopped chocolate, leave it for 1 minute, then stir gently from the center outward until completely smooth. Avoid whisking, which adds air bubbles.
Let the icing cool to 35–38°C / 95–100°F, stirring slowly from time to time. Allow approximately 25 minutes total for cooling the syrup and finished icing. The icing should fall from the spatula in a broad, continuous ribbon. If it becomes too thick before pouring, warm it gently over barely simmering water until it returns to the pouring temperature.
Step 7: Glaze the cake and let it set
Pour the icing generously over the center of the cake, letting it flow outward and down the sides. If necessary, use an offset spatula to guide it across the top with just one or two light strokes. Patch any bare spots on the sides immediately, then stop touching the surface so it can set smoothly.
Leave the cake undisturbed for 1 hour at a cool room temperature of approximately 18–21°C / 64–70°F. The icing should become set enough to slice while retaining a gentle sheen. Carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate once the drips have stopped.
Step 8: Whip the cream and serve
Whip the cold cream on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, stopping at soft peaks. It should look billowy and softly hold its shape, not become stiff or grainy. Leave it unsweetened; its fresh dairy flavor is the perfect contrast to the chocolate icing.
For clean slices, dip a long knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and cut straight down through the cake. Clean and warm the blade between cuts. Serve each slice at room temperature with one-twelfth of the whipped cream, approximately 25 ml cream before whipping, spooned alongside.
Pro Tips
- Weigh the ingredients: This cake relies on the balance between chocolate, flour, and whipped eggs, so a kitchen scale is especially helpful.
- Keep the sponge light: Properly whipped whites provide the lift; there is no baking powder. Fold carefully rather than stirring vigorously.
- Choose baking chocolate, not chips: Finely chopped chocolate bars melt more smoothly and make a more fluid icing.
- Keep the jam smooth and thin: Apricot pieces or thick ridges will show through the chocolate coating.
- Expect a traditional finish: This cooked sugar-and-chocolate icing sets more firmly than ganache. Its initial gloss may soften to a satin sheen as it rests.
Variations
- Apricot-rum version: Replace the 15 ml water in the jam mixture with 15 ml dark rum. Warm gently without boiling vigorously. This variation contains alcohol.
- More intense chocolate: Use 70% dark chocolate in the cake while keeping 60% chocolate in the icing so its pouring consistency stays closer to the original recipe.
- Ganache-coated alternative: For a softer, nontraditional finish, replace the cooked icing with 200 g finely chopped dark chocolate and 200 ml heavy cream. Heat the cream until steaming, pour over the chocolate, wait 2 minutes, stir smooth, and cool to 32–35°C / 90–95°F before pouring.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Make ahead: Bake, cool, and wrap the unfilled cake up to 1 day before assembly. Alternatively, finish the glazed cake the day before serving; resting overnight helps the chocolate and apricot flavors settle together.
Store: Keep the cake without whipped cream in an airtight container at a cool room temperature of 18–20°C / 64–68°F for up to 2 days. In a warmer kitchen, refrigerate it instead. Refrigerated cake keeps for up to 4 days; let slices stand at room temperature for 45–60 minutes before serving. Store whipped cream separately at 4°C / 40°F or below for up to 24 hours, and whisk briefly if it loosens.
Freeze: Wrap the cooled, unglazed cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, then fill and glaze. Freezing the finished icing can dull its surface, so glazing after thawing gives the prettiest result.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 580 kcal | Carbs: 67g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 55g | Sodium: 100mg | Cholesterol: 150mg
Estimated for one-twelfth of the cake with whipped cream, counting all the icing. Actual values vary with the chocolate, jam, and amount of icing that remains on the cake.
