Torte Vs Cake: Is There A Difference?

One of the best ways to experience a new country is through its sweets: From Spanish basque cheesecake to German apfelkuchen, there's no shortage of unique, cake-like desserts in Europe. Before visiting a new country, though, it's important to do some research to know exactly what delicacies to keep your eye out for. One word you may come across — especially if you're visiting Austria or Hungary — is "torte." No, not tart, torte. This word is a general term for cake in Spanish, Italian, and German, but does it really refer to traditional cake as we know it in the United States? While the two are similar, particularly in their round shape, there are a few major differences that make torte vs. cake a worthwhile discussion.

A traditional birthday cake is typically made with cake flour. Flour is necessary to achieve that airy, crumbly texture, and this is where tortes differ greatly from cakes. Tortes are generally made up of nut flour, ground nuts, or breadcrumbs instead of cake flour, which gives them their signature rich flavor and dense texture. Many of the most famous tortes are made up of multiple thin layers, too. For example, the Hungarian Esterhazy torte is made up of two layers: A meringue of ground walnuts, sugar, and egg whites, and a custard buttercream layer. Then, it's topped with a zebra-like fondant glaze. The meringue layers are baked in the oven to firm up and get golden brown, giving this famous Hungarian dessert its timeless look. 

Another famous torte is the Austrian Sacher-Torte. It's made up of two or three layers of velvety chocolate cake, with apricot jam in between each layer and a chocolate glaze overtop. The traditional Sacher-Torte recipe calls for plain wheat flour, though; there are no ground nuts or breadcrumbs. So what, exactly, makes a Sacher-Torte a torte and not a cake? Well, to make it even more complicated, tortes generally do not have a chemical leavening agent, like baking soda or baking powder. The Sacher-Torte falls under this category: Egg whites are beaten until they're stiff and then added to the batter, which means the cake is given its texture through the process of air leavening.

If you're still confused about what differentiates a torte from a cake, don't worry: The lines are sort of blurry. However, with virtually all tortes, you can expect a similar texture. Its crumb will be very dense; not light and airy like a birthday cake. Imagine it as something closer to a fudge than a cake, especially if it's a chocolate torte, like the Sacher-Torte. Many tortes will also be nut-based, like the classic Austrian Linzer Torte, and made up of multiple thin layers, like the Esterhazy. You also aren't likely to find a torte with tons of elaborate frostings, sprinkles, and toppings, like you might find on an American cake. Tortes are simple, rich, and they're definitely different from your average box-mix of chocolate cake, making them totally worth a try.