National Sacher Torte Day

The story

In 1832, a 16-year-old apprentice named Franz Sacher created a dessert for Austrian Prince Wenzel von Metternich, and it turned out to be a masterpiece. That dessert was the Sacher T orte, a rich chocolate cake that would become one of Vienna’s most famous specialties. The Sacher T orte isn’t just any chocolate cake.

It’s made with layers of dense chocolate sponge, a thin spread of apricot jam, and a shiny coat of dark chocolate icing. Traditionally served with a side of unsweetened whipped cream, it’s simple yet unforgettable. Franz’s son, Eduard Sacher, later perfected the recipe and made it the signature dish of the Sacher Hotel, which he opened in Vienna in 1876.

The hotel became famous, not just for its luxury, but also for this iconic dessert. The original recipe is still a secret and is only made by the Sacher Hotels in Vienna and Salzburg. Even the chocolate icing is said to be made with a unique blend of chocolates from Belgium and Germany.

The hotel carefully packages the cakes for shipping worldwide, making it possible for fans everywhere to enjoy this legendary treat. There was even a legal battle over the name. In the 1900s, the Demel pastry shop started selling a similar cake called the "Eduard Sacher-T orte.

" After years of disputes, the courts ruled that only the Sacher Hotel could call theirs the “Original Sacher Torte.”