A magnificent choice. Gerbeaud Cake (Zserbó szelet) is one of Hungary’s most famous and elegant desserts—rich layers of dough, walnut filling, apricot jam, and a glossy chocolate topping. It’s a true coffeehouse classic, created by the legendary Gerbeaud Café in Budapest 🇭🇺🍰
Below is a traditional, authentic recipe, just like it’s made in Hungarian homes.
🍰 Gerbeaud Cake (Zserbó Szelet)
Ingredients (Makes one large pan, ~20 slices)
Dough
- 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 250 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g (½ cup) sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 200 ml (¾ cup) sour cream
- 25 g (2¼ tsp) fresh yeast
(or 7 g / 2¼ tsp dry yeast) - 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
Filling
- 300 g (3 cups) finely ground walnuts
- 200 g (1 cup) sugar
- 300 g (1 cup) apricot jam (thick, smooth)
Chocolate Glaze
- 150 g (5 oz) dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil (for shine)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Activate the Yeast
- Dissolve yeast in a little warm sour cream with 1 tsp sugar.
- Let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2️⃣ Make the Dough
- Mix flour, sugar, and salt.
- Rub in butter until crumbly.
- Add egg yolks, yeast mixture, remaining sour cream, and vanilla.
- Knead into a soft, smooth dough.
- Divide dough into 4 equal portions.
- Cover and rest 30 minutes.
3️⃣ Prepare the Filling
- Mix ground walnuts with sugar.
4️⃣ Assemble the Cake
- Roll one dough portion to fit a greased baking pan (approx. 30×20 cm / 12×8 in).
- Spread with ⅓ of apricot jam, sprinkle ⅓ walnut mixture.
- Repeat layers 3 times, finishing with dough on top.
- Prick top gently with a fork.
5️⃣ Bake
- Bake at 170°C / 340°F for 40–45 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Cool completely in the pan.
6️⃣ Chocolate Glaze
- Melt chocolate, butter, and oil gently.
- Spread evenly over cooled cake.
- Let glaze set before slicing.
🍽️ Serving & Storage
- Cut into neat squares or rectangles
- Serve with strong coffee or espresso ☕
- Keeps up to 5 days, flavors improve over time
- Freezes very well
🇭🇺 Hungarian Tips
- Use high-quality walnuts and jam—they define the flavor
- Let the cake rest overnight before slicing (very traditional)
- Thin, elegant slices are the Hungarian way
✨ Why Gerbeaud Is Special
Zserbó isn’t just dessert—it’s Budapest café culture, history, and refinement baked into layers.
If you’d like, I can also share:
- 🔹 Quick modern Gerbeaud
- 🔹 No-yeast version
- 🔹 Christmas-style spiced Zserbó
Just tell me 😊
