Hungary’s 2025 cake of the year, DCJ Stílusgyakorlat, debuts for Saint Stephen’s Day
The DCJ Stílusgyakorlat, a chocolate, caramel, and sour cherry creation by Kézműves Cukrászda in Gyula, has been named Hungary’s Cake of the Year. The award was announced on Thursday, July 31, at a ceremony in Parliament, where the new Saint Stephen’s Day Bread was also presented.
Hungary’s Sugar-Free Cake of the Year title went to Álmodozó, a chocolate and sour cherry cake created by confectioner Alfréd Kovács of Édes Vonal Cukrászda in Vác.
This year marked the 19th Cake of the Year competition, held in honor of the 140th anniversary of the Dobos torta, said László Selmeczi, managing director of the Hungarian Confectioners’ Association. Entries were required to use ingredients characteristic of the Dobos torta, supplemented with items chosen from a designated ingredient basket.
Selmeczi said the DCJ Stílusgyakorlat reinterprets the classic Dobos torta. Built on a butter-rich sponge base, the cake layers airy chocolate buttercream and sour cherry gel. Its vertical structure, flavor contrasts, and elements such as sour cherry pálinka, almond praline, brittle, and milk chocolate glaze are designed to create both visual appeal and a distinctive taste. The bottom sponge is coated with classic Dobos caramel in tribute to József C. Dobos.
The Álmodozó, winner of the sugar-free category, recalls the flavors of classics such as Lúdláb and Rigójancsi but without added sugar, said jury chair László Nándori. The cake features cocoa- and almond-flour sponge layers filled with a cinnamon- and chia-seed sour cherry ragout, light milk chocolate cream and a crunchy chocolate layer made with cocoa nibs. The contest was announced for the 14th time by the “One Drop of Attention” Foundation, using an ingredient list approved by the Hungarian Dietetic Association.
József Septe, president of the Hungarian Bakers’ Association, said nearly 70 products were entered in three categories for the Saint Stephen’s Day Bread competition. The prize for Saint Stephen’s Day Bread went to Balmaz Sütöde of Balmazújváros for its spelt-based Alföldi Pajta bread. The innovative bread category was won by Varga Pékség of Mórahalom with its extra virgin olive oil Mediterranean bread, while Három Tarka Macska Pékség won the pastry category with Augusztusi álom, a brownie-filled, sour cherry–sauce pastry.
The winning cakes and breads will first be available for tasting in Budapest at the Street of Hungarian Flavors during the Saint Stephen’s Day celebrations on August 19–20, and nationwide in designated pastry shops and bakeries from August 19.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
Featured images via Hungarian Confectioners’ Association Facebook page
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