This layered, chocolate-topped apricot and walnut cake was invented by a Swiss chocolatier named Émile Gerbeaud—pronounced zserbó in Hungarian, hence the name—who moved to Budapest in 1884 to take charge of Kugler coffee house and pâtisserie, which is now the famous Café Gerbeaud.

Soon after it was introduced, the delicious zserbó cake became a favorite all over Hungary. And although the original recipe calls for apricot preserve, it is not unusual to find other versions filled with ginger, apples, plum jam, or even honey and walnuts.