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Murielle Banackissa

Spiced Sachertore

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1 hour 45 mins Prep: 15 mins Cook: 50 mins Resting Time: 40 mins
Serves 10

Spiced with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, this festive cake features a chocolatey sponge, a silky sweet apricot jam and a rich dark chocolate ganache, making it a perfect cake to serve up your guests this holiday season.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • 1 300g pack silken tofu
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil (such as avocado or canola)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling and Ganache

  • 6 tbsp apricot jam
  • 1 100g bar of dark chocolate , chopped
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp full fat coconut milk
  • Toasted sliced almonds , for decorating

Recipe

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a 8-inch cake pan with cooking spray.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and sea salt.

  3. Step 3

    In a high speed blender, blend together the soy milk, silken tofu, oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until no white streaks remain.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer into the greased pan and smooth the top.

  5. Step 5

    Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

  6. Step 6

    Let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan before cutting it in half and spreading the apricot jam onto the bottom half.

  7. Step 7

    Melt together over a double broiler the dark chocolate and coconut milk.

  8. Step 8

    Pour over the cake. Allow to set for 30 minutes before decorating with sliced almonds. Enjoy!

  9. Step 9

    Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Common Questions & Swaps

  • Can I use another kind of flour? I have personally not tested this recipe with other flours yet, but I think that Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour would work great here.
  • Can I substitute the sugar with another sweetener? I cannot certify that other sweeteners will work equally well here.
  • Can I replace the soy milk? Yes, you can replace it with any other unsweetened plant based milk in a carton (do not use full fat coconut milk from a can).
  • Can I use firm tofu? No silken tofu is a must here.
  • Can I replace the coconut milk int he ganache with another plant based milk? In this case, you actually need full fat coconut milk to ensure the ganache holds nicely and is rich and creamy.
  • I like to use 70% dark chocolate for this specific ganache. 
Spiced Sachertorte Cake on a plate
Spiced Sachertorte Cake on a wooden stand
Spiced Sachertorte Cake on a plate

Recipe created in the context of an Instagram partnership with Giant Tiger.

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When I was around 14 years old, my mom got a small square cake cookbook called 500 gâteaux by Susannah Blake. It featured classic cake recipes for all occasion. Anything from luscious tiramisu to epic pavlova and satisfying bundt cakes.

There is one recipe however that became a classic almost instantly after I made it for the first time: the Sachertorte.

It is a classic Austrian chocolate cake that features an apricot filling and a rich, chocolatey ganache.

It is delicious because of its mix of sweetness and acidity and its luxurious ganache is simply the cherry on the sundae.

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Spiced Sachertorte Cake on a wooden stand
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My variation is a little different from the original recipe. First off, it is fully vegan. It also has a few warming spices: cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. These spices make this cake extra festive. Lastly, my Festive Sachertorte features a crown of toasted sliced almonds. I find that they turn the cake into a statement piece and add a touch of smokiness and nuttiness.

When it comes to the ingredients used in this recipe, below are the ones I used. For any modifications, refer to the Swaps & Comments section.

All-purpose flour: This flour is used so that this cake stays moist, light and fluffy.

Organic cane sugar: This is the main sweetener of the cake batter itself.

Baking soda: The leavening agent that is key to achieving the perfect rise on this cake.

Ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg: These spices complement beautifully the chocolate and apricot flavors in this cake, while giving it a more festive twist.

Sea salt: Like in any dessert, salt is incorporated into bring out sweetness and other flavors.

Unsweetened soy milk: Soy milk is my milk of choice; it is rather neutral, not too fatty and works in most baked goods including this cake.

Silken tofu: It acts as an egg replacer in this recipe, while adding some richness to the batter.

Neutral oil: I like to use avocado oil. It is neutral and works great in most recipe. In this case, it adds some moisture and richness to the batter of this cake.

Apple cider vinegar: I used it in this recipe to help activate the baking soda and give the cake extra height.

Vanilla extract: A subtle flavor booster that pairs nicely with the spices and chocolate in this cake.

Apricot jam: One of the key elements of a Sachertorte cake. It is sweet, slightly tangy, and glistening.

Dark chocolate: I use 70% dark chocolate for my ganache. This adds sweetness and a touch of chocolatey bitterness that I love.

Full-fat coconut milk: A must for creating a silky, smooth, and rich ganache that makes the Sachertorte iconic.

I had a lot of fun re-creating this childhood classic of mine.

I know it is a cake I will be returning to in the future, especially during the holiday season.

As you make this recipe, I encourage you to notice all the beauty in the cooking process: how the apricot jam glistens as it lays on the bottom layer of the cake and how the rich chocolatey ganache slowly envelops the chocolate cake.

If you’d like, you can also share about this recipe on social media and tag me (@muriellebanackissa).

Happy cooking ✦

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