Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (2024)

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Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (1)

Linzer Torte is believed to be the oldest known cake in the world. According to Wikipedia, Linzer Torte is an Austrian cake with a lattice design on top of the pastry. The cake is named after the city of Linz in Austria.

Even though it is said to be the oldest cake in the world nobody really knows exactly when it was invented. The oldest recipe that has been found is from 1653.Linzer Torte is often eaten at Christmas in Austria, Hungaria, Switzerland, Germany, and as a Tirolean tradition.

The Linzer Torte is originally made with red currant jam. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get red currant jam so I substituted for raspberry. I used a recipe from the Austrian Tourism website as a base for the torte. I decided to make Linzer torte for my ‘Baking My Way Around The World‘ challenge.

How To Make Linzer Torte

Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (2)

You’ll need flour, hazelnuts, almonds, jam (preferably red currant), light brown sugar, butter, lemon zest, cloves, cinnamon, salt and some thinly sliced almonds for decoration.(The full list of ingredients including measurements can be found in the recipe card below.)

Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (3)

Add your blanched almonds to a blender.

Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (4)

Add the blanched hazelnuts to the almonds.

Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (5)

Grind the nuts.

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Add flour to a bowl.

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Add the ground nuts.

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Some salt.

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Add cloves.

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Add the cinnamon.

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Add lemon zest.

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Add the light brown sugar.

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And add the butter. I pre cut the butter in little cubes.

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Use a pastry blender or two knifes to cut the butter into the other ingredients until crumbly.

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When you have a crumbly mixture, add the egg.

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Knead into a dough. When you can form the dough into a ball, wrap it in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

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Take about 2/3 of the the dough and press it into a 10 inch baking tin (26 cm).

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Make sure you have a nice, thick edge of roughly half an inch (1 cm).

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Add your jam, make sure to fully coat the bottom of the torte.

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Cut the remaining dough into strips.

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Add the strips to the torte and make a nice lattice pattern.

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Brush the dough with some egg yolk.

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Decorate the Linzer Torte with some thinly sliced almonds and bake in the oven for 30-60 minutes.

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Doesn’t it look gorgeous? Just looking at the photo now makes me crave this delicious Linzer Torte again!

Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (25)

Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (26)

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Linzer Torte

Linzer Torte is believed to be the oldest cake in the world. A classic Austrian torte, made with a short crumbly pastry and a filling of redcurrant jam.

Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (27)

Votes: 34
Rating: 3.94
You:

Rate this recipe!

Type
CuisineAustrian
Prep Time25 minuten
Cook Time60 minutes
Passive Time30 minutes
Servings

slices

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup blanched almonds 75 g
  • 1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts 75 g
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour 250 g
  • 1 cup butter 225 g
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar 130 g
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 3/4 cup red currant jam 280 g - can substitute with raspberry jam
  • 1 egg yolk
  • thinly sliced almonds for decoration
Type
CuisineAustrian
Prep Time25 minuten
Cook Time60 minutes
Passive Time30 minutes
Servings

slices

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup blanched almonds 75 g
  • 1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts 75 g
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour 250 g
  • 1 cup butter 225 g
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar 130 g
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 3/4 cup red currant jam 280 g - can substitute with raspberry jam
  • 1 egg yolk
  • thinly sliced almonds for decoration

Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (28)

Votes: 34
Rating: 3.94
You:

Rate this recipe!

Instructions

  1. Grind the almonds and hazelnuts. Then add the ground nuts to a bowl. Add the flour, salt, cloves, cinnamon, lemon zest, light brown sugar and butter. Use a pastry blender or two knifes to cut the butter into the other ingredients until crumbly.

  2. When you have a crumbly mixture, add the egg.Use your hands to knead into a dough. When you can form the dough into a ball, wrap it in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

  3. Preheat the oven at 175 °C / 350 °F.

  4. Take about 2/3 of the the dough and press it into a 10 inch baking tin (26 cm).Make sure you fully cover the bottom and have a nice, thick edge of roughly half an inch (1 cm).

  5. Add your jam to the torte, make sure to fully coat the bottom.

  6. Cut the remaining dough into strips.Add the strips to the torte and make a nice lattice pattern.Brush the dough with some egg yolk.

  7. Decorate the Linzer Torte with some thinly sliced almonds and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Please note that the cup measurements in this recipe are approximate. I have added cups for those that prefer using cups. The recipe is most accurate using weights measurements.

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2 comments

  1. Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (29)

    Manfredi de Bernart

    17 December 2021

    The cooking time is a bit generic. 30-60 min.. which is it? Does it depend on the type of oven? I’d love to make this so I’d like to know exactly what the cooking time is. Thanks

    Reply

    1. Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (30)

      Rachel (Cakies)

      18 December 2021

      Apologies, it was a typo, it should be about 45-60 minutes, I’ve updated the recipe accordingly. Every oven is different, depending on your oven it could be between 45 to 60 minutes.
      If I feel the tart could use a little more color I keep it in longer to make sure the dough is cooked.

      Reply

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Austrian Linzer Torte Recipe | The oldest cake in the world (2024)

FAQs

Which cake is known as the oldest cake in existence? ›

Considered to be the oldest cake in the world, Linzer Torte is a true Austrian classic. It's often served with a big dollop of whipped cream and dusted with confectioners' sugar.

What is the history of Linzer torte? ›

Linzer Torte is considered the oldest known cake named after a city. It is available in different variations and it was already mentioned by name as early as 1653. Yet who invented or named the cake will remain a mystery forever.

What is Linzer Torte in English? ›

The Linzer torte is a traditional Austrian pastry, a form of shortbread topped with fruit preserves and sliced nuts with a lattice design on top. It is named after the city of Linz, Austria. Linzer torte. Alternative names. Linzertorte, Linzer cookie, Linzer tart.

What does linzer mean? ›

native of Linz. native ( od inhabitant) of Linz.

How old is the Linzer Torte? ›

The “Linzer Torte” is the world's oldest known cake and was documented by name as early as 1696. Who gave the cake its name, or invented it will remain a secret for ever. The oldest recipe derives from a 300-year-old cookery book.

Who invented 1st cake? ›

The first cakes were very different from what we eat today. They were more bread-like and sweetened with honey. Nuts and dried fruits were often added. According to the food historians, the ancient Egyptians were the first culture to show evidence of advanced baking skills.

What country did torte come from? ›

The word torte is German, and many cakes described as tortes are also German (or Austrian) in origin, like the Sacher torte and Linzer torte.

What is the difference between a torte and a cake? ›

While a cake may also contain other ingredients, these are basic for baking a sponge cake whereas the torte is a flourless cake. Tortes are baked with heavy ingredients, such as groundnuts or bread crumbs along with eggs. The difference in the use of the ingredients makes tortes much richer in taste and texture.

Why is a cake called a torte? ›

Tortes, by definition, are a type of cake. They use higher quality ingredients, which generally make them more expensive. Their name is derived from the German word “torte”, which means cake. They are a European delicacy and most of the well-known torte recipes derive from this country.

What is a torte in Germany? ›

A torte (/ˈtɔːrt/; from German: Torte (German pronunciation: [ˈtɔrtə]), in turn from Latin via Italian: torta) is a rich, usually multilayered, cake that is filled with whipped cream, buttercreams, mousses, jams, or fruit. Torte. A serving of Sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher, Vienna.

What is the difference between Linzer torte and Linzer cookies? ›

Linzer Cookies use the same ingredients as a Linzertorte, only presented in a different way. That is, two almond flavored cookies are sandwiched together with a layer of jam. They are so pretty, with their top cookie dusted with a thin white coating of powdered sugar and a cutout so you can see the color of the jam.

What are the three types of torte? ›

Torts fall into three general categories: intentional torts (e.g., intentionally hitting a person); negligent torts (e.g., causing an accident by failing to obey traffic rules); and strict liability torts (e.g., liability for making and selling defective products - see Products Liability).

What is Linzer torte made of? ›

Linzer tortes are a nut-based cake with tons of jam. They are usually flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and lemon zest which gives them an incredible holiday feel.

Where did the Linzer Slice originate? ›

The History of the Linzertorte

Way back in 1653, this recipe (originally a tart) was discovered in the cookery manuscript of Countess Anna Margarita Sagramosa In Austria. The tart was baked like a pie with a delicious buttery almond crust, filled with black currant preserves and topped with a latticework crust.

Is Linzer Cookie a girl? ›

Linzer Cookie (Korean: 린저 쿠키, linjeo kuki) is an Epic Cookie released alongside Crème Brûlée Cookie in the The Holiday Express update (v4. 15). She is of the Support type and her position is prioritized to the Rear. Who is that tall, elegant lady...

What was the first cake called? ›

Today's version of this early cake would be oatcakes, though now we think of them more as a biscuit or cookie. Cakes were called “plakous” by the Greeks, from the word for “flat.” These cakes were usually combinations of nuts and honey. They also had a cake called “satura,” which was a flat heavy cake.

What is the oldest known wedding cake? ›

The earliest known sweet wedding cake is known as a Banbury cake, which became popular in 1655. The white color has been attached to wedding ceremonies since the Victorian era when Queen Victoria chose to wear a white lace wedding dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.

What is the world's oldest wedding cake? ›

It may not make your mouth water but this is thought to be the world's oldest complete wedding cake dating back to 1898. The cake which was baked 113 years ago has now got brown icing because the sugars have seeped through to the surface.

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