This simple sticky chocolate cake is one of the most famous Swedish desserts. I think this is the best pantry chocolate cake you can make. This cake is ready in 20 minutes!
This turns out just like IKEA gooey chocolate cake. It is just that when you buy it at IKEA it is on the cold shelf, so it is a bit denser in consistency. If you store this cake in the fridge, it gets similar dense consistency to the IKEA cake.
I like the Swedish kladdkaka since you usually have all the ingredients in your pantry. This is a simple bake also for kids since it does not need any whipping of eggs or special equipment. Only thing that needs some "crafting" is the springform pan, but you can make it in some other bakeware also.
What does kladdkaka mean in Swedish?
The name "kladdkaka" literally means "sticky cake" in Swedish due to the cake's moist and slightly underbaked consistency. Kladdkaka is known for its dense, gooey, and fudgy texture. A popular easy dessert in Sweden and is often served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top.
The secret
The secret of making this gooey cake? It is omitting the leavening agent! Also, it is baked for a quite short time in the oven, so the middle of the cake is still wobbly and left sticky, so actually this is an underbaked cake.
The big mistake is to have it 5 minutes too long in the oven, you will end up with a dry plain chocolate cake. -this is the mistake I often make, so a timer is essential when making this cake.
Ingredients
- Butter can be replaced with margarine
- Eggs
- Sugar. You can use brown sugar, but white is traditional.
- Flour. All-purpose wheat flour but can be replaced with potato or corn starch.
- Cocoa powder-Dutch process cocoa that is darker and more flavorsome
- Vanilla extract, in Sweden we use vanilla sugar
- Salt
Different types of Swedish chocolate treats
- Kladdkaka. Not the only Swedish chocolate cake type.
- Swedish brownies. Fudgy square chocolate treats with nuts, a famous cafeteria treat.
- Chocolate balls. Kokosbollar. Chocolaty no-bake balls with coconut.
- Kärleksmums. This is also called mockarutor. A Swedish sheet cake with chocolaty glaze with some coffee flavor.
Equipment
- You need an 8-inch springform pan, 19 cm in diameter.
- Baking paper
- Three bowls
- Hand whisk or electric whisk
Instructions
- Cut a round piece of parchment paper into the bottom of your springform pan. Use for example pen and the bottom of pan to get right size. Put some oil or butter on the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Melt the butter, for example, in the microwave. It takes about 40 seconds.
- Whip the eggs and sugar with a hand whisk, so the structure of the eggs is broken down. Add in the vanilla extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Pour them into the egg-sugar mix through a sieve. This is to avoid any clumps.
- Mix the flour gently in the egg-sugar mixture and last add the melted butter.
- Pour the batter into your springform pan and bake at 350 F (175 C) for 13 minutes. You can use a toothpick to test; it should come out dry at the edge and with batter in the middle.
- Let the cake cool down, remove it from the springform pan into a serving plate. Add powdered sugar on top with a small sieve. Serve with whipped cream.
Diet variations
Gluten-free: To make this cake gluten-free use potato starch or cornstarch instead of wheat flour.
Milk-free: Use margarine instead of butter in the batter and serve with a milk-free whip or ice cream.
Storing
If you have leftovers, here are a few tips for storing the cake:
- Keep it at room temperature: The cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate the cake: You can also refrigerate the cake, covered with foil or plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. Just be aware that the cake's texture may change slightly in the fridge, and it may become firmer and drier.
- Freeze the cake: To freeze the cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and place it in a resealable freezer bag. The cake will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
When serving the cake, you can warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds to re-create the warm, gooey texture of the freshly baked cake.
How to serve
Kladdkaka is best served at room temperature and gooey. You can make it ahead 1-2 hours before your guests arrive and let it stand on the countertop. It is best eaten on the same day.
- Ice cream: You can serve this quite warm straight from the oven with a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream.
- Powdered sugar: Traditionally, it is chilled until you can put some powdered sugar on top.
- Whipped cream goes well with the cake. It is also how IKEA serves it.
- Fresh berries are perfect for a summertime cake. Strawberries and fresh blueberries are always a hit. Don't forget to have whipped cream as well.
- Chocolate glaze is perfect for making for a more festive and luxurious cake.
Variations
You should definitely make the original version, but when you get tired of it, here are some tips on making some fun variations.
To flavor the batter:
- Cardamom or a pinch of cinnamon
- Espresso to get coffee tones
- Some crushed pecans
- Muscovado sugar instead of white to get more caramel flavors.
- Chopped chocolate
- Chopped Daim-candy
- Licorice
- Orange peel
- Pinch of chili
Topping ideas:
- Melted chocolate on top, white or dark chocolate
- Nutella layer on top
- Cream cheese flavored with caramel sauce
- Dulce de leche
- Chopped chocolate
- Daim chop
- Chopped nuts, sprinkles, berries
- Marshmallows, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans.
FAQ
An indulgently rich and chocolatey dessert that will satisfy a chocolate lover's cravings. The flavor of kladdkaka is rich and chocolatey, with a slightly dense and moist crumb. It has a soft, sticky, and gooey interior. It reminds slightly of our molten chocolate lava cake, but not as runny interior. It is similar to a brownie in texture and flavor but is typically made without chocolate chips or nuts and has a slightly denser and gooier texture.
It was probably food writer Margareta Wickman that got the recipe from Paris, which was published in Veckojournaled-magazine in the 1970s.
It is the 7 of November in Sweden.
More Swedish fika treats
Kladdkaka can be served as fika. Read more about the fika tradition in this post. Below are some more treats you might want to bake.
Kladdkaka
Equipment
- 8 inch springform pan 20 cm in diameter
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter 113 grams
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sugar 1,8 dl
- 4 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup all purpose flour 1,2 dl
Instructions
- Cut a round piece of parchment paper into the bottom of your springform pan. Put some oil or butter on the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Melt the butter, for example in the microwave. It takes about 40 seconds.
- Whip the eggs and sugar with a hand whisk, so the structure of the eggs is broken down.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour them into the egg-sugar mix through a sieve. Mix gently and add as last the melted butter.
- Pour the batter into your springform pan and bake at 350 F (175 C) for 13 minutes. You can use a toothpick to test; it should come out dry at the edge and with batter in the middle.
- Let the cake cool down, and add powdered sugar on top. Serve with whipped cream.
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