Prinzregententorte is usually served with a cup of coffee.
Prinzregententorte is a layered cake originating from Bavaria, Germany. It consists mainly of layers of thin sponge cakes, covered with a chocolate glaze that usually hardens, giving the sponge cake a shiny, smooth exterior. The cake usually has six to nine layers and is usually served with a cup of coffee. Prinzregententorte is a very popular cake in Bavaria and is sold and bought throughout the year, whether the occasion calls for it or not.
The federal state of Bavaria, which was a kingdom during medieval times, is located in southeastern Germany.
The name “prinzregentore” literally means “Prince Regent Cake”, in reference to the Prince Regent of Bavaria, Luitpold, who reigned from 1886 to 1912. However, the inventor of the cake is still not sure; some sources say that the Prince Regent’s own personal chef, John Rottenhöfer, invented and dedicated the cake in honor of the Prince Regent. Other sources cite a famous baker named Anton Seidl as the inventor, who baked a nine-layer chocolate-covered cake depicting the nine sons of King Ludwig I, Luitpold’s father. Some sources also credit another baker named Heinrich Georg Erbshäauser as the inventor when he was commissioned to bake a cake for Luitpold’s 90th birthday in 1911. His cake consisted of eight layers, symbolizing the eight administrative districts of Bavaria at the time. .
Prinzregententorte is made with sponge cake.
The main ingredients for the prinzregentorte sponge cake layers are eggs, butter, flour and sugar. Other ingredients used for texture and seasoning include a little baking powder, vanilla, salt, and a little hot water. The dough is usually divided into separate pans and baked in one go, resulting in thin, smooth-surfaced cake layers. A thinner layer of chocolate buttercream is spread between the cake layers. The ingredients for the chocolate buttercream filling typically include cocoa powder, butter, egg yolks, and icing sugar.
The assembly of the prinzregententorte begins when the cake layers are cool enough that the buttercream does not melt. The bottom and top of the cake should be the sponge cake layers, so the cake is stable enough to stand on its own. When all the cake layers and buttercream filling are assembled, the entire cake is covered with chocolate icing, made primarily of dark chocolate and butter or whipped cream.
Some versions of the prinzregentorte have an apricot jam frosting on top and a chocolate buttercream frosting spread around the edges of the cake, before the chocolate frosting is liberally applied. For final garnishes, shaved chocolate is sprinkled over the cake, or dollops of whipped cream can be added with a pipe. The cake is usually served cold or at room temperature to preserve the hardened chocolate shell on the outside.