Hungarian Cakes in Norwich
I grew up in Hungary, where cakes like Dobos and Esterházy are part of every celebration. Now I bake them in Norwich, the way I learned them, for anyone who wants to try them.
Why Hungarian cakes are different
Hungarian cakes rely on thin sponge layers, nuts, rich creams and a little caramel or chocolate, rather than thick icing. Many come from the coffee houses of 19th-century Budapest and are named after the people who made them famous.
The classics
- Dobos torte
- Thin sponge layers with chocolate buttercream under a crisp caramel top, created by confectioner József C. Dobos in the 1880s.
- Esterházy cake
- Walnut meringue layers and vanilla cream, finished with its famous feathered icing.
- Somlói galuska
- Sponge soaked with rum syrup, layered with vanilla cream, walnuts and raisins, then topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.
- Rigó Jancsi
- A tall chocolate mousse slice named after a famous Hungarian violinist.
- Gerbeaud slice
- Layers of pastry, walnuts and apricot jam under dark chocolate, named after Budapest's Café Gerbeaud.
- French cream pastry (franciakrémes)
- Puff pastry, vanilla custard and whipped cream, with a caramel glaze.
- Rákóczi curd tart
- Sweet curd cheese on shortcrust, with a lattice of meringue and apricot jam.
- Isler
- Two shortbread biscuits sandwiched with jam and dipped in chocolate.
- Marlenka honey cake
- Thin honey layers with a soft cream filling, loved across Central Europe.
- Bejgli
- The Hungarian Christmas roll, filled with walnut or poppy seed.
- Hungarian potato scone (pogácsa)
- Savoury, buttery and flaky: the snack served at every Hungarian gathering.
- Kaiser roll
- The crusty bread roll Central Europe eats for breakfast.