Kladdkaka
Kladdkaka, literally "sticky cake", is the beloved Swedish home-baked chocolate cake, celebrated precisely for its deliberate imperfection — a dense, moist, almost underbaked middle contrasting with a thin, lightly crisp crust. Unlike many classic cakes, the recipe requires no elaborate preparations or special equipment, designed to be mixed quickly in a single pot with a wooden spoon. The exact origins of the recipe remain unclear, but its popularity has grown steadily since the second half of the 20th century, becoming one of Sweden's most beloved home desserts, often served at fika, the traditional Swedish coffee break. Its simplicity has made it an ideal recipe for children learning to cook, and the debate over exactly how long the cake should bake for the perfect sticky texture remains a passionate topic in many Swedish kitchens.
Fudgy centre
A dense, moist, almost underbaked middle
No mixer needed
A simple one-pot batter mixed by hand
Thin crust
A delicate, lightly crisp outer crust
Berries
Classically served with cream and fresh berries
Ingredients 4 servings
- 150 g butter
- 250 g sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 g flour
- A pinch of salt
- Whipped cream for serving
- Fresh berries for serving
How to make it
- 1Preheat the oven to 175°C and butter a round tin about 20 cm across.
- 2Melt the butter in a pan over low heat, then remove from the heat.
- 3Add the sugar and cocoa powder to the melted butter and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until fully combined.
- 4Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- 5Add the flour and salt, mixing just until the flour disappears, without over-beating the batter.
- 6Pour the batter into the prepared tin, levelling the surface with a spatula.
- 7Bake for 20-22 minutes — the middle should still look visibly soft and sticky when it comes out of the oven, while the edges are firm.
- 8Let it cool completely in the tin before slicing, then serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
