Dobosh torte, also known as drum torte or dobos torta, is a Hungarian sponge cake with seven layers of thin cake filled with rich chocolate buttercream, topped with caramel, and sometimes coated with ground hazelnuts, chestnuts, walnuts, or almonds. It's an elegant cake fit for a special occasion.
Invented by and named after Hungarian (some say he was Austrian) pastry chef Jozsef C. Dobos in 1884, the elegant Dobos torte is on par with another layered Hungarian dessert, sutemeny Rigo Jancsi.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
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1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
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1 cup sugar
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4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling:
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8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
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2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
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2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter, room temperature
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5 large egg whites, room temperature
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1 cup sugar
For the Caramel Glaze:
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2/3 cup sugar
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1/3 cup water
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Nuts of your choice, ground, to sprinkle on top and sides of cake
Steps to Make It
Make the Cake
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Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 F.
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In a large bowl, cream the 8 ounces of butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
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Beat in the 4 eggs, one at a time. Beat in the flour and vanilla until smooth.
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Weigh the batter, remembering to subtract for the weight of the bowl. Divide that number by 7—this is the number of ounces you will need for each pan in order to create even layers.
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Lightly coat the bottom of 7 (9-inch) round pans with cooking spray. Alternatively, you can bake as many layers at a time as you have 9-inch cake pans and reuse them to bake the rest of the batter.
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Bake each layer for 7 minutes, or until edges are very lightly brown. Don't overbake.
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After removing from the oven, loosen the cake layer and immediately invert onto a cooling rack.
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Continue until all the batter is used and all of the layers are cooling.
Make the Filling
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Gather the ingredients.
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Melt the semisweet and unsweetened chocolates in a microwaveable bowl, stirring often. Set aside to cool.
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In a large bowl, beat the 1 pound of butter on low for 2 minutes, then on medium for 3 minutes, and finally on high for 5 minutes.
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Place the 5 egg whites and 1 cup sugar in a double boiler over medium heat. Whisk gently and heat to 120 F.
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Transfer to a mixing bowl and whip on high until stiff peaks form.
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Fold the melted and cooled chocolate into the whipped butter.
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Fold the egg whites into the mixture until all traces of white are gone.
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Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Caramel Glaze
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Gather the ingredients.
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Place 1 cake layer on a cooling rack set over a pan to catch the drips.
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Add the 2/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water to a small heavy saucepan.
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Without stirring, cook until the sugar dissolves and it comes to a boil and begins to darken in color.
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Swirling the pan, continue to boil until the caramel becomes a golden brown.
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Immediately pour the caramel over the cake layer, creating an even coating.
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With a buttered knife, mark the glaze before it completely hardens into 16 equal wedges without cutting all the way through.
Assemble the Torte
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Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate or in a 9-inch springform pan to use as a guide, and spread on 1/8-inch of filling.
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Repeat with remaining layers and portions of filling, and finish with the glazed layer on top.
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Use the rest of the filling to cover the sides of the cake. Sprinkle with ground nuts of choice, if desired. Refrigerate until serving.
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To serve, slice along the lines marked in the caramel glaze.
How to Store
- A dobos torta will keep for a few days, covered, in the fridge. The caramel may become chewy stored in the moist refrigerator over time.
- A dobosh torte freezes best if cut into individual pieces and tightly wrapped. Freeze for up to a month and defrost in the fridge before serving.
What Is the Difference Between a Cake and a Torte?
While the exact difference between cakes and tortes is a matter of heated discussion, torte is a word typically used for fancy European cakes. Tortes are frequently multi-layer with cake layers containing less flour and leavening than an American cake. They can be filled with mousse, ganache, jam, buttercream, and more.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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617 | Calories |
44g | Fat |
53g | Carbs |
6g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 16 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 617 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 44g | 57% |
Saturated Fat 26g | 130% |
Cholesterol 138mg | 46% |
Sodium 54mg | 2% |
Total Carbohydrate 53g | 19% |
Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% |
Total Sugars 41g | |
Protein 6g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
Calcium 33mg | 3% |
Iron 2mg | 11% |
Potassium 165mg | 4% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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