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Prinzregententorte
Prinzregententorte: Munich's seven-layer chocolate buttercream torte
Prinzregententorte was created in Munich for Prince Regent Luitpold, who ruled Bavaria from 1886, and it is still the cake Munich cafés and families bring out for name days and big birthdays. Seven very thin sponge layers, one for each of the old Bavarian districts, are stacked with chocolate buttercream, brushed with apricot jam and sealed under a shiny dark chocolate glaze. The slices show neat stripes and taste rich but not heavy. A common mistake is baking the sponge as one thick cake and slicing it; it is far easier and neater to spread each layer thinly on a tin base and bake it for a few minutes. Chef's tip: trace a 26 cm circle on seven sheets of baking paper before you start, then bake two layers at once on separate trays.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the sponge layers
For the chocolate buttercream
To finish
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: For the custard, whisk a little of the 2 cups whole milk with the 1 ⅜ oz cornflour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 3 ½ oz sugar. Boil the rest of the milk, whisk in the mix and bubble 1 minute until thick, then stir in the 3 ½ oz dark chocolate until melted. Cover the surface and cool to room temperature.
15 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Draw seven 26 cm circles on baking paper. Beat the 9 oz soft butter, half the 9 oz sugar and the 1 tsp vanilla extract until fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks from the 6 eggs one at a time.
15 minStep 3: Whisk the egg whites with the rest of the sugar to soft, glossy peaks. Fold them into the butter mix alternately with the sifted 7 oz plain flour, 1 ¾ oz cornflour and 1 tsp baking powder.
10 minStep 4: Spread about 4 heaped tablespoons of batter thinly inside each circle and bake two at a time for 6–8 minutes, until pale golden at the edges and springy in the middle. Slide off onto a rack; repeat to make seven layers.
50 minStep 5: Beat the 9 oz soft butter until pale, then beat in the chocolate custard a spoonful at a time until smooth and fluffy.
10 minStep 6: Peel the paper off each layer and stack them on a cake board with a thin layer of buttercream between each, keeping the top layer bare. Press gently, trim the edges straight and spread a thin coat of cream around the sides. Chill for 1 hour.
20 minStep 7: Warm the 3 tbsp apricot jam, sieved and brush it over the top. Melt the 7 oz dark chocolate with the 2 tbsp coconut oil or neutral oil and pour it over the cake, letting it run down the sides, then smooth with a palette knife. Chill for 2 hours, or overnight, before cutting with a hot knife.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does prinzregententorte take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 100 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of soft butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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