Home to some of the best musicians in the world, Vienna is more than a place to immense yourself with the classics. Austria was once one of the most powerful European countries and so, it's no surprise that just about everything in Vienna exudes a regal vibe.
Could it be from the magnificent architecture surrounding the city or perhaps the way the locals carry themselves around? So much to comprehend in such a short period of time but for now, let's focus on the main reason I am blogging today: cakes.
Our Trafalgar tour guide brought to our attention how many types of cakes are available in Vienna, much to the dismay of my waistline. First up, we visited Aida which is a popular franchise that started in 1913. Be amazed at the array of cakes available - extremely hard to make a choice.
Hazelnut torte ~ nutty and creamy with the right balance of sweetness. The cake itself was bordering on the dry side though.
Sacher torte ~ one cannot bypass the famous chocolate cake in Vienna. Just about every shop has one on the menu but the original one came from the Sacher Hotel. Hard to miss this little place when there's a queue outside the cafe! Albeit not having the opportunity to try the original version, I was still pretty happy with this cake from another restaurant. Bundled with chocolate-y goodness, this is a must try for the chocoholics out there.
After wandering around the city, we agreed on a little break. Headed to Gerstner that is smacked right in the middle of the city center and pampered ourselves to a good cup of Vienna coffee, a slice of apple strudel and cheesecake. Gerstner started in 1847 and has even had the opportunity to cater to the royal family in the Schonbrunn Palace once upon a time.
Apple strudel was on point in terms of having the right amount of filling enclosed in the puff pastry. Paired with a good serve of vanilla sauce, this would be a perfect dessert in winter.
Last but not least was a visit to Demel, one of the most popular cake cafes in Vienna. In the earlier days, Demel was the bakery of choice to the royal family, a task that one should be proud of considering the number of competitors in the market. Rumour has it that they still present their cakes during official meetings:)
We had the truffle torte, a rich but still pleasantly light piece of chocolate cake.
I was intrigued by the schneeball grob and ordered it. Crunchy with a honeycomb-meets-biscuit texture, this was an interesting item, in a good way. Probably a little difficult to eat in a ladylike manner due to it's shape but still worth the curiousity.
What is Vienna without a cup of coffee? Thick cream foam blanketing the coffee and with subtle hints of honey included.
On a side note, prices of cakes can range from 4-5euros depending on where you order it. Not overly expensive in comparison to Australian standards - be sure to save up some loose change for a slice of royalty!
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