Anna's Traditional Austrian "Seven-Layer" Cake (Dobisch Torte)

Anna's Traditional Austrian "Seven-Layer" Cake, also known as Dobisch or Dobos Torte, Mother's signature cake for every big occasion; you knew you were special when Mom made a seven-layer cake for you! 

It's a lot of work, and usually she really only made SIX layers, but it doesn't matter—it's so delicious either way!

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TRADITIONAL SEVEN-LAYER CAKE (DOBISCH TORTE)

Have ready:

• 15 eggs
• Granulated sugar
• Cake flour (gluten-free cake flour is available)
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Vanilla
• Water for boiling
• 3 or 4 round 9-inch cake pans
• 8 ounces Ghirardelli brand milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate squares
• Unsalted butter
• Wire racks for cooling layers

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Layer cake:

12 egg yolks

1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup + 4 tablespoons cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup boiling water

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The Best Way to Separate Egg Yolks 

My mother was very specific in how to separate egg yolks and egg whites. She told me to have two CLEAN bowls ready ahead of time and to use a different clean dry whisk or egg beater for each. This video shows a method of separating egg whites from yolks.

VIDEO: How to Separate Egg Whites from Yolks

Wondering what to do with the extra egg whites from 12 egg yolks? My mother would conserve the egg whites in the refrigerator and use them later to make meringue tarts.

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Beat egg yolks with electric mixer at fast speed until thick and lemon colored. Beat in sugar a little at a time very well.

Sift the flour 3 times with the baking powder and the salt, then fold in the flour ½ cup at a time. Add vanilla.

Add the boiling water and mix very well. Do not stir, but fold batter over and under and scrape sides and bottom of bowl well until smooth.

Pour into three* 9-inch cake pans which have been greased with a little shortening and bake in oven 350 degrees about 20 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes, with the racks tilted to the side. Later remove cake from pans carefully and keep on wire racks until cool.

*For a true seven-layer cake, have a fourth cake pan ready and fill only half full

Do not let the cake dry out but cover with small towel.

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FROSTING:

  I. Custard filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

3 whole eggs

Mix 1 cup granulated sugar and 3 eggs. Stir well and cook over low heat in a double boiler, stirring along bottom and sides of pan until mixture comes to a boil. Then allow to COOL before adding to chocolate and butter mixture.

  II. Chocolate-butter mixture:
 
9 squares (approx 8 oz) Ghirardelli milk (or semi-sweet) chocolate  

½ cup water

Melt Ghirardelli chocolate squares mixed with ½ cup water in the top of a double boiler, breaking up the squares with a spoon as they melt, until completely melted and smooth. Allow to COOL!

3/4 pound unsalted butter

Cream 3/4 lb unsalted butter and the cooled chocolate and blend. Combine with custard filling to make filling and frosting for 7-layer cake.

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When frosting is ready:

Remove the cooled cake layers from the wire racks, one at a time, onto a cake plate. Cut each cake layer in two crosswise and put the frosting between the layers. After all layers are stacked and have frosting in between them, completely frost the top and sides of the cake.

Then, chill in refrigerator several hours or until frosting becomes firm and hardened. Some prefer it served at room temperature, but I like my seven-layer cake chilled before it is cut into thin slices and served.

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