Among the 29 sweet shops that joined the 2017 contest to invent an original cake recipe for a chance to win the esteemed title “The Birthday Cake of Hungary”, Budapest’s renowned Sugar! Design Confectionery hit the nail on the head with its “Balatoni Habos Mogyoró” (translating to “Frothy Hazelnut cake from Balaton”), a dessert enhanced with blackcurrant, caramel, and creamy chocolate. Now an integral part of the historic August 20th celebrations when Magyars commemorate the foundation of the Hungarian state, this relatively recent tradition of offering a birthday cake to the country is a sweet touch amid the boisterous nationwide jamboree. On this occasion, the National Trade Corporation of Hungarian Confectioners calls for pastry makers from all over the country to invent or reinvent desserts that reflect Magyar traditions and flavors, which include local foodstuffs and must be made without adding any artificial ingredients.
Being a nationwide contest, in the past two years the Salgótarján-based Kézműves Confectionery was awarded the same prize twice in a row with the shop’s intoxicating “Caramel Cake with Pannonhalmi Apricot Pálinka” invention becoming the 2015 birthday cake, while the same confectionery’s “Green Gold of Őrség”, a pumpkin-seed-oil infused dessert, earned the honorable title just a year later in 2016.
In addition to such sugary treats, every year since 2012 diabetic and health-conscious people can also celebrate Hungary’s national holiday with a slice of the country’s birthday cake, as the One Drop of Attention Foundation (“Egy Csepp Figyelem Alapítvány”) selects Hungary’s sugar-free torte, where white flour, added sugar, artificial additives, and preservatives all must be left out from the list of ingredients. This year, the colorful “Pöttyös Panni” (translating to “Polka-dotted Panni”) cake by the Budapest-based Zazzi Confectionery earned first prize within this category – the delicate dessert is made with refreshing raspberry mousse, a layer of sweet plum, and poppy seeds.
Both cakes are available for tasting from August 19th at many of Budapest’s confectioneries, including at the winning sweet shops, while on August 19th and 20th, among the citywide celebrations of St. Stephen’s Day, the Street of Hungarian Flavors at the Várkert Bazaar, near the Buda side of the Chain Bridge, will also proffer slices of the newly invented treats.