Prinzregententorte — Bavarian seven-layer chocolate cake

i. Origin & history

The cake was reportedly created in the late 1880s by Munich pastry chef Heinrich Erbshäuser in honour of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria, who ruled the kingdom during the long incapacity of King Otto.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 16 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 8 large eggs, separated
• 250 g caster sugar
• 250 g plain flour
• Pinch salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 250 g unsalted butter, melted
• 400 g dark chocolate
• 400 ml double cream
• 60 g unsalted butter (buttercream)
• 200 g dark chocolate (glaze)
• 60 g unsalted butter (glaze)

iii. Method

1. Heat oven to 180 °C. Trace 7 × 22 cm circles on parchment.
2. Whip yolks with sugar 5 min. Fold in flour, salt, zest, melted butter. Whip whites; fold in.
3. Spread about 80 g batter into each circle, very thin. Bake one or two at a time for 6-8 min until just-set and pale gold. Cool fully.
4. Make buttercream: heat cream; pour over chopped chocolate; stir to ganache. Whisk in butter. Cool to spreading consistency.
5. Stack the 7 layers with buttercream between each. Cover sides and top with buttercream. Chill.
6. Make glaze: melt chocolate and butter. Pour over the chilled cake to cover. Chill to set.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Classic Munich version uses dark chocolate throughout. Modern variants use milk chocolate or hazelnut praline.

vii. More from Austrian & German

• Donauwelle — Danube wave
• Medovik — Russian honey cake
• Kardinalschnitten — Cardinal's slice
• Dacquoise — French meringue layer cake
• Napoleon Cake — Russian mille-feuille
• Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte — Black Forest