A Morning Ritual of Quiet Affection
There are moments in history that feel less like grand imperial narratives and more like scenes from a quiet, sunlit kitchen. The relationship between Kaiser Franz Joseph I of Austria and the Viennese actress Katharina Schratt belongs to that gentler category — a story not of politics or power, but of companionship, routine, and a simple cake baked every morning.
A lonely Emperor and an unexpected Confidante
The Kaiser honored by the Kaisergugelhupf was Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830-1916). Those born after 1955 know him best as the husband of Sisi (Empress Elisabeth).
Into this carefully controlled world stepped Katharina Schratt. She was everything the imperial court was not: warm, witty, intuitive, and unafraid to speak with the Emperor as if he were simply a man, not a monarch. Their connection deepened quickly. What followed was not a scandalous affair, but a companionship that brought Franz Joseph something he had rarely known — comfort.
Franz Joseph was a man defined by duty. From the age of eighteen, he bore the weight of an empire, living according to a strict schedule that allowed little room for spontaneity or emotional ease. His marriage to Empress Elisabeth — the renowned Sisi — was complicated and distant, characterized by long separations.
Sisi, who had long withdrawn from court life, recognized the value of this bond. She encouraged this, believing that Katharina could offer the Emperor the emotional warmth she herself could not.
In order to alleviate the Kaiser’s loneliness, and to lessen the expectations placed on her, the empress arranged that her husband get to know the actress and cabaret artist Katharina Schratt in 1885. From then on Ms. Schratt became the contact person and confidant of the emperor. A companionship built on routine, affection, and Guglhupf
It has been known, that Kaiserin Elisabeth never felt particularly comfortable at the castle in Vienna. She took every opportunity to escape the court etiquette, and therefore traveled a lot. Initially she left for health reasons to a warmer climate, and later to avoid her duties
The Ritual that became a Refuge
While the imperial kitchens at Schönbrunn bustled with dozens of cooks and servants, the most powerful man in Central Europe preferred a homemade cake from a woman who cared for him without ceremony.
Franz Joseph would visit Katharina’s villa on the Kahlenberg or she would come to Schönbrunn, and the day began not with state papers or military briefings, but with a slice of Guglhupf and quiet conversation.
Many small routines shaped the Kaiser and Katharina Schratt’s friendship. One stands out with almost cinematic charm. Every morning, she baked a Guglhupf for the Emperor’s second breakfast. The Guglhupf — that quintessentially Austrian, gently sweet, marble‑swirled or raisin‑studded cake — became their shared language.
For Kaiser Franz Joseph it was a small rebellion against the machinery of empire. A moment of humanity in a life defined by protocol. Or could have been a gesture of affection expressed not through grand declarations, but through flour, butter, and patience.
Who was Katharina Schratt?
Katharina Schratt (1853–1940) was a celebrated Viennese stage actress — witty, warm, charming, and known for her intelligence and emotional intuition. She was everything the imperial court was not: lively, informal, and deeply human. Franz Joseph met her in the 1880s, and very quickly she became his Seelenfreundin — a soul-friend, confidante, and emotional anchor.
Their relationship was not officially romantic, though it was certainly intimate in the emotional sense. It was also quietly tolerated — even encouraged — by Empress Elisabeth (“Sisi”), who had long withdrawn from court life and believed Katharina could offer the Emperor the warmth and companionship she herself could not.
Kaiser Franz Joseph is said to awaken early in the morning around 6.30 every day. He had his second breakfast at the “Schratt Villa” which was close to the Schönbrunn castle. Katharina Schratt would bake and serve her Gugelhupf every day according to a recipe from her mother.
Kaiser Franz Joseph’s friendship with Katharina Schratt was saved from any scandal and expressly encouraged by the Kaisers wife. Even after Kaiserin Elisabeth’s death, their relationship has been maintained.
Kaiser Franz Josef supported the actress financially and gifted her jewelry. Among other things, he provided her with a Villa in Bad Ischl, where the Austrian imperial family resided in the summer. Today called “Schratt Villa” or “Villa Schratt”
The Kaisergugelhupf Recipe:
Gugelhupfrezept aus Anna Fink: Die Küche des Mittelstandes. Neues Wiener Kochbuch für jeden Haushalt. Wien: Moritz Stern 1907, S. 507 (per Wikimedia)
If her own baking skills should fail, she also ordered an extra for the daily cake as a back-up from the traditional confectionery bakery Zauner. This is why the “Double” was soon called Kaisergugelhupf or Schratt-Gugelhupf.
Katharina Schratt’s recipe has been preserved to this day. We don’t know if it is true that Zauner’s Bakery made six of these cakes at a time, and only the most beautiful was delivered to the Schratt Villa. This story, or better said gossip, sounded interesting and amusing and was told at many Kaffeklatsch’s with the ladies
The historical background for the true recipe of the “Kaisergugelhupf” (Bundt cake of Emperor Kaiser Joseph I) has been handed down. Some baker’s have dared to call their cakes “Kaisergugelhupf” because their cake did not comply with the original
The Kaiser Guglhupf is very rich! By adding lots of butter and six egg yolks, the dough is not exactly something for calorie or cholesterol aware people.
One wonders if you have a genuine “Kaisergugelhupf” (Emperor bundt cake) on your plate at the Café. Only bakers and baking enthusiasts, who do a little research would be familiar with the true consistency of the dough.
We all know, there are many different variations on the internet, and there is very large collections of fake recipes among them.The difference is very simple, and can be clarified with a little research. I’ve already done the research for you, you can see the recipe when you scroll down
The original Gugelhupf
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole cream
- 1 pack dry yeast
- 4 cups white flour
- 2/3rd cup soft butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 dash salt
- Zest of one lemon (organic)
- Filling:
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/3rd cup raisins (soaked in rum, optional)
- Baking form preparation:
- Some butter
- ½ cup chopped almonds
- When cooled, some powdered sugar
Instructions
- Warm up the whole cream to lukewarm and dissolve the dry yeast in it. Add a teaspoon of sugar and a little flour. Let rest 10 minutes. Sieve the remaining flour over the batter, keep warm and let rise for at least 20 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl stir the very soft but not liquid butter with the remaining sugar until foamy and all the sugar is dissolved. Add and mix with the six yolks.
- Add a little salt and zest from a lemon to the yeast batter, combine a butter/yolk mixture. Beat the batter in a mixer with a dough hook to a soft, silky dough until it separates from the bowl rim.
- Cover and let rest for at least 60 minutes (or longer).
- Due to its high butter content, the dough will of course not rise as easily and easy as usually with other yeast doughs. Nevertheless, the volume of the dough should have increased by at least a third or half of the original amount.
- When the dough has risen, roll out to a rectangle on a floured work surface about half a centimeter thick. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon and raisins and roll up.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F top / bottom heat.
- Prepare a Gugelhupf or Bundt cake pan with soft butter and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Place the rolled-up dough inside and brush with more butter. Let rise again at a warm place up to just below the rim.
- Then bake at 350 F for about 40-50 minutes. If the “Kaisergugelhupf” gets too dark, cover it with aluminum foil in the last few minutes if necessary. Definitely make a stick test!
- Let the finished Gugelhupf fall out of the mold, let cool then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
Remove from baking form, let cool on wire rack and cover with powdered sugar. Store in plastic foil for 3 days or freeze.
