Pastries have been a signature feature of Vienna for centuries. To mark the 40th anniversary of the IMP, the institute celebrated with a very special cake – the Birnstiel Torte, created in honour of Max Birnstiel, the IMP’s founding director.
Vienna - city of coffee houses and sumptuous pastries. With the Birnstiel Torte, the IMP has created its own signature cake, a sweet symbol of the institute’s history and identity. Pastries are part of Vienna’s culinary heritage since Mary of Burgundy married Emperor Maximilian I. in 1477, allegedly introducing fancy sweet cuisine to Central Europe. Indeed, the IMP has had professional pâtissiers among its cafeteria colleagues for many years – and the Birnstiel Torte is an in-house creation by the current holder of this vital post.
The Birnstiel Torte pays homage to Max Birnstiel’s remarkable life and legacy, drawing inspiration from the places that shaped him: Brazil, Switzerland, Scotland, and Vienna. Born in Bahia, Brazil in 1933, Max Birnstiel moved to Switzerland at the age of five, where he was educated and earned his doctorate at ETH Zurich. His scientific journey took him to Edinburgh, where he spent nearly a decade at the University of Edinburgh, isolating the first single gene, a landmark achievement. In 1986, he came to Vienna to shape and lead the newly established IMP, laying the foundations for what would become the Vienna BioCenter.
The flavours of the Birnstiel Torte mirror this international journey – a blend of traditions and tastes from each of these places, crafted into one harmonious whole. The cake combines Swiss chocolate and locally sourced, Austrian pears (“Birnstiel” meaning “pear stem” in German) with a touch of Scotch whisky and Brazilian honey, evoking both refinement and warmth.
Its layers are built on a delicate sponge base of butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and dark couverture chocolate. The ganache cream blends white and dark chocolate with cream and whisky, complemented by pears and pear juice for a bright, fruity note. Finished with a silky chocolate and cream topping and bringing it all back to Max Birnstiel’s roots with a glaze of honey –and dark chocolate, the result is a dessert that is both complexly layered and simply delicious.
The first Birnstiel Torte to be made was presented during the IMP’s 40th anniversary celebration on 5 November 2025. A moment of reflection, gratitude, and joy, honouring the visionary whose ideas helped shape four decades of world-class molecular biology in Vienna. As well as the pastry pros at the IMP’s cafeteria.
Stay tuned for the recipe!
