Hälsa Nutrition - your compass to healthy, joyful family eating

This Simple Swedish Chocolate Cake is easy to make and even easier to eat! Perfect as a special weeknight dessert or with an afternoon cup of tea.

Hello my friends! With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’m excited to post this delicious Simple Swedish Chocolate Cake recipe.

“Kladdkaka”

This just slightly gooey and brownie-like cake is known as “kladdkaka” in Sweden. Because it doesn’t contain baking soda or powder it’s quite flat and dense with chocolate. This version is adapted from one of my favorite Swedish cookbooks, Anna’s Mat.

Savor and Enjoy!

This cake is not gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, or anything else free. It’s just pure deliciousness. Savor it. Enjoy it.

(Of course, if you need to revise it for food allergies or sensitivities please do so. I make suggestions in the recipe on how to make it dairy-free and/or gluten-free.)

But for most of us, relishing in pure good old-fashioned flour, sugar, and butter is ok every now and then. This is part of intuitive eating. This is part of joyful living. So please enjoy this–and any other treat–without guilt.

Cocoa Powder

A note on cocoa powder, use the highest quality all-natural cocoa you can find. Look for one that is unsweetened and not processed with alkali. Did you know that cocoa is packed with heart-healthy antioxidants known as flavonoids? It’s also perfect to have on hand for everything from gluten-free brownie bites to cocoa-coconut bliss balls to classic hot chocolate.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this cake with a dollop of whipped cream. I make mine the way my mother did, just whipping up heavy cream without any added sugar–the cake is sweet enough. I also often sprinkle on powdered sugar because it looks pretty. If I have fresh berries on hand I serve those too!

One more tip: Should you happen to have extra slices, freeze them individually! Then heat them when you need a little sweet treat! This rarely happens at my house, but when it does it’s glorious!

Let me know what you think and don’t forget to tag @halsanutrition on Instagram if you make this recipe! Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Simple Swedish Chocolate Cake (Kladdkaka)

This Swedish chocolate cake is perfect for a special weeknight dessert or serving with afternoon coffee or tea. Because it contains no baking soda or powder, it's a flat cake that's just slightly gooey and also has a bit of a brownie-like consistency. Just be sure not to overcook it; it will be almost a little underdone when ready. Enjoy!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Swedish

Keyword: chocolate, cocoa, dessert, fika, Swedish

Servings: 8

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter + extra for greasing (sub coconut butter if dairy-free)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour + extra for greasing (sub gluten-free flour or almond flour if needed)
1/3 cup natural cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter and then coat with flour (or do it the Swedish way: butter and breadcrumbs). Another option is to line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the sides. A springform pan is easiest but not necessary.
In a small saucepan, melt the rest of the butter or coconut oil. Let cool slightly while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a small mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer to whip together the eggs and the sugar for about a minute. Then mix in the melted butter and vanilla until just incorporated.
To another mixing bowl, add the flour and the cocoa. Stir together with a whisk until just combined. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until starting to set and pull away from the edges. Be sure not to overcook! Let cool completely (if you can wait!) before slicing. The easiest way to serve is straight from the pan, but you can also try your luck at tipping it upside down and transferring it to a platter or cutting board.