Sacher Torte
It's a production, but well worth it for this classic and famous Austrian chocolate cake, first made in 1832 by chef Franz Sacher.
Cake Ingredients
1 cup cake flour (If you don't have it, look here for substitution.)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar, divided in half
8 large eggs, separated, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
Filling and Icing Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cups apricot preserves
1/4 cup dark rum
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup (If you don't have it, look here for substitution.)
Steps for Cake
  1. Grease and flour 9" cake pan.  If you have baking parchment paper, line the bottom of the pan.
  2. Put flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix just a bit.  
  4. Stir in (slowly) the flour mixture.  Don't over beat. 
  5. Melt the chocolate over very low heat in a saucepan, in a double boiler, or in the microwave in 10 second increments.  Then SLOWLY stir the melted chocolate into the flour mixture.  
  6. Place egg whites in a separate bowl; beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the other 1/2 cup of sugar; beat until stiff peaks develop.  Gently and SLOWLY fold into the flour and chocolate mixture - about half at a time.  Fold slowly until you can't see eggy streaks.
  7. Put the batter into baking pan and bake in preheated 350° F oven for 45 minutes or until an inserted  toothpick or knife comes back clean.
  8. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and put on a wire rack to cool.  Make sure it's all the way cool before next steps.
Steps for Filling and Icing
  1. Stir together the apricot preserves and the rum.
  2. With a large serrated knife, horizontally split the cooled cake into two layers.  Put the bottom layer on a cake plate that is much larger in diameter than the cake.  It's going to get messy later and you'll need to wipe up.
  3. With a knife or spatula, spread part of the preserves onto the top of the bottom layer.   Then place the second layer on top.
  4. Put the rest of the preserves into the microwave or on the stovetop and get them warm.  Then push through a fine-mesh strainer.  Throw away fruits and use the smooth gel to spread on top of the cake.  Let cool for an hour.
  5. Melt the chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup butter.  Stir to keep from separating.  Add in corn syrup.  Immediately pour over the cake.  Smooth any missing spots with a rubber spatula. Wipe up the excess on the plate and let cool and set for at least an hour.
  6. Use a knife dipped in hot water to cut the cake!  Delicious!