Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Cocoa sponge: 4 large eggs; 150 g sugar; 120 g all-purpose flour; 30 g Dutch cocoa; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 120 ml whole milk; 45 g unsalted butter; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 tsp instant espresso (optional).
- Buttercream: 250 g unsalted butter; 320 g sweetened condensed milk; 90 g dark chocolate (60–70%), melted; 25 g Dutch cocoa; 1 tsp vanilla; pinch salt; 1 tsp brandy or cognac (optional).
- Apricot layer: 120 g apricot jam (about 1/2 cup), warmed and strained if chunky.
- Ganache: 200 g dark chocolate (60–70%); 200 ml heavy cream; 1 tbsp light corn syrup or honey; 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional).
- Optional syrup: 60 ml water; 50 g sugar; 1 tsp brandy or rum.
Do This
- 1. Heat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line and grease an 8-inch round pan.
- 2. Whip eggs and sugar to thick ribbon (5–7 min). Fold in sifted flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
- 3. Heat milk, butter, and oil until steaming; stir in vanilla and espresso. Stream into batter; bake 28–35 min. Cool completely.
- 4. Whip butter fluffy; slowly stream in condensed milk. Beat in cooled melted chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, and salt.
- 5. Split cake into 3 layers. Brush with optional syrup. Spread a thin slick of warmed apricot jam, then buttercream. Repeat.
- 6. Crumb-coat cake with buttercream; chill 20–30 min. Apply a thin smooth finish coat; chill again.
- 7. Make ganache (heat cream + syrup, pour over chocolate, add butter). Cool to 90–95°F/32–35°C; pour over cake. Set 30–45 min, slice, serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic café-style Tort Praga: tender cocoa sponge, silky condensed-milk chocolate cream, and glossy ganache.
- Balanced sweetness with a bright apricot note to cut through the chocolate richness.
- Approachable techniques with exact temperatures for a mirror-like ganache finish.
- Make-ahead friendly; the cake tastes even better the next day.
Grocery List
- Produce: None
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, eggs, whole milk, heavy cream
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, sugar, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, instant espresso powder (optional), neutral oil, sweetened condensed milk, dark chocolate (60–70%), apricot jam, light corn syrup or honey, brandy or rum (optional)
Full Ingredients
For the Cocoa Sponge
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
- 120 g all-purpose flour (1 cup, spooned and leveled)
- 30 g Dutch-process cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 120 ml whole milk (1/2 cup)
- 45 g unsalted butter (3 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as sunflower or canola)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional, enhances chocolate)
Optional Simple Syrup
- 60 ml water (1/4 cup)
- 50 g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
- 1 tsp brandy or dark rum (optional)
Chocolate Condensed-Milk Buttercream
- 250 g unsalted butter, very soft but cool (about 9 oz)
- 320 g sweetened condensed milk (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 90 g dark chocolate (60–70%), melted and cooled to lukewarm
- 25 g Dutch-process cocoa powder (1/4 cup), sifted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch fine salt
- 1 tsp brandy or cognac (optional, classic touch)
Apricot Layer
- 120 g apricot jam (about 1/2 cup), warmed; strain if chunky
Glossy Dark Ganache
- 200 g dark chocolate (60–70%), finely chopped
- 200 ml heavy cream (about 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup or honey (for shine)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, for extra sheen)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the pan and oven
Heat the oven to 350°F/175°C with a rack in the center. Line the base of an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan with parchment. Lightly grease the sides and parchment. Have all ingredients at room temperature for best volume and a smooth batter.
Step 2: Make the hot-milk cocoa sponge batter
In a large bowl, whip the eggs and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on high until very thick, pale, and tripled in volume, 5–7 minutes. The batter should fall in a ribbon that sits on the surface for a few seconds.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Sprinkle one-third of the dry mix over the eggs and gently fold with a spatula. Repeat twice more, folding just until no dry streaks remain.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk, butter, and oil just to steaming; remove from heat and stir in vanilla and espresso powder. While folding, stream the hot milk mixture down the side of the bowl and gently fold until the batter is smooth and glossy.
Step 3: Bake and cool
Immediately scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 28–35 minutes until the top springs back and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack, peel off parchment, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
Step 4: Make the optional syrup
Bring water and sugar to a simmer, stirring to dissolve, 1–2 minutes. Cool fully; stir in brandy or rum if using. Set aside for assembly. This keeps the cake tender and enhances the retro café character.
Step 5: Whip the condensed-milk chocolate buttercream
Melt the chocolate gently and let it cool to just warm (90–95°F/32–35°C). In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium-high until very pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. With the mixer on medium-low, slowly stream in the condensed milk in 3–4 additions, beating well after each to maintain a silky emulsion.
Beat in the cooled melted chocolate, sifted cocoa, vanilla, salt, and brandy if using, until smooth and spreadable, 1–2 minutes. If it looks soft, chill 5–10 minutes, then re-whip briefly.
Step 6: Split, syrup, and fill with jam and cream
Trim the domed top if needed. Using a long serrated knife, split the sponge into 3 even layers. Place the bottom layer on a turntable or serving board. Brush lightly with syrup. Spread a very thin, even slick of warmed apricot jam, then about 1/2 cup buttercream. Repeat with the second layer. Top with the final layer.
Step 7: Crumb coat and chill
Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides to trap crumbs. Chill 20–30 minutes until firm, then apply a second thin coat to smooth the surface for ganache. Chill again 10 minutes. Reserve any remaining buttercream for touch-ups.
Step 8: Make the glossy ganache and finish
Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream and corn syrup just to a simmer; pour over chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir from the center outward until silky. Stir in butter if using. Cool to 90–95°F/32–35°C (lukewarm and pourable, not hot). Set the chilled cake on a rack over a tray and pour the ganache over the center, letting it flow to the edges. Smooth lightly and coax gentle drips if you like. Tap the rack to settle. Let set 30–45 minutes at cool room temp, then transfer to a platter. Slice with a warm, dry knife.
Pro Tips
- Weigh ingredients for accuracy; cocoa and flour pack differently in cups.
- For a shiny, smooth ganache, cool it to 90–95°F/32–35°C before pouring and avoid excessive stirring once smooth.
- Russian-style condensed-milk buttercream can look curdled if butter or condensed milk is too cold or added too fast; fix by warming the bowl 5–10 seconds and beating again.
- Keep the jam layer thin; it should brighten, not dominate. Warming makes it easy to spread without tearing the crumb.
- Chill briefly between coats so the ganache finishes ultra-smooth.
Variations
- Walnut Prague: Fold 60 g finely chopped toasted walnuts into the buttercream and press more onto the sides after the crumb coat.
- Orange-Apricot: Add 1 tsp finely grated orange zest to the jam and 1 tbsp orange liqueur to the syrup.
- Extra-dark: Use 70–72% chocolate for both buttercream and ganache and reduce the cocoa in the cream to 15 g for balance.
Storage & Make-Ahead
The assembled cake keeps 3–4 days refrigerated, covered. For best texture, let slices stand 20–30 minutes at room temperature before serving. The sponge can be baked, cooled, wrapped, and frozen up to 2 months; thaw wrapped at room temperature. Buttercream keeps 1 week refrigerated or 2 months frozen; bring to cool room temperature and re-whip before using. Ganache is best fresh but can be made a day ahead; rewarm gently to 90–95°F/32–35°C.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per slice (1 of 12): 600 kcal; 36 g fat (22 g saturated); 60 g carbohydrates; 45 g sugars; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 170 mg sodium.
