Dobos torta is a sponge cake layered with chocolate buttercream and topped with hard caramel, made by the Budapest confectioner József C. Dobos in 1884.

József C. Dobos, a Budapest delicatessen owner, made the cake in 1884 to last longer than other pastries in an age of limited cooling; the hardened caramel top helps stop it drying out. It was first shown at the National General Exhibition of Budapest in 1885, where Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth were among the first to taste it. Dobos travelled Europe to introduce it, and in 1906, on retiring, gave the recipe to the Budapest confectioners' and gingerbread-makers' guild so that any member could use it. Since 2017 a ministerial decree defines the cake as round, with five sponge sheets and buttercream between them under a caramelised top.

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Make it at home

Serves 124 hrAdvanced

Ingredients

  • For the sponges: 6 eggs separated
  • 180g caster sugar
  • 180g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • For the chocolate buttercream: 6 egg yolks
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 100ml whole milk
  • 300g unsalted butter softened
  • 150g dark chocolate (70%) melted and cooled
  • For the caramel top: 200g granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Vegetable oil for the caramel disc

Method

  1. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Gradually add half the sugar and whisk to stiff glossy peaks.
  2. Whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar and vanilla until pale and ribboned. Fold a third of the whites in, then sift the flour over and fold; finally fold in the remaining whites.
  3. Spread thinly into 6 separate 22cm rounds on baking parchment and bake at 200C for 5 to 7 minutes per round, until pale gold and springy. Cool flat.
  4. For the buttercream: whisk yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl, whisk in the warm milk, place over barely simmering water. Whisk constantly 8 minutes until thick. Cool fully. Beat in the soft butter cube by cube, then the cooled melted chocolate.
  5. Trim the sponges to identical discs. Stack 5 layers with chocolate buttercream between each. Coat the sides.
  6. For the caramel top: melt the sugar with water and lemon juice over medium heat without stirring until deep amber. Pour quickly onto the 6th sponge layer placed on lightly oiled parchment. Spread thinly with an oiled palette knife.
  7. While still warm but no longer liquid, mark into 12 wedges with an oiled knife (do not cut through). Cool to set hard.
  8. Place the caramel layer on top of the cake. Pipe rosettes of buttercream around the edge. Refrigerate 2 hours, slice along the caramel scoring.

Editor tip. The caramel top keeps the cake from drying out, so cover the top layer completely.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg.