Kavring is a delicious Swedish rye bread that is dark in color and slightly sweet in flavor. This incredibly easy recipe contains NO yeast and is instead leavened with baking powder and baking soda. With a list of simple ingredients, this moist and dense Kavring loaf comes together in minutes.
What's more, Kavring makes a delicious base for open faced sandwiches and is particularly good with pickled herring and smoked salmon. You are going to love this easy Swedish rye bread recipe! Keep reading for step-by-step instructions for making it at home.
Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe calls for an easy list of wholesome, simple ingredients.
- The batter mixes together in about 5 minutes time.
- A unique low and slow baking method keeps the loaf tender and moist.
Ingredients
- Bread flour and rye flour for the base of this recipe. The bread flour brings structure and the rye imparts flavor and a tender texture.
- This bread is leavened with a combination of baking powder and baking soda.
- A bit of salt heightens the flavor of the baked loaf.
- Either Swedish dark baking syrup (also known as mörk sirap) or light molasses serve as the sweetener in this recipe. Both are delicious, but the Swedish baking syrup is a bit less prominent in flavor than molasses. Both provide a gloriously dark color to the bread.
- Milk is the liquid the moistens the recipe. Feel free to substitute your favorite non-dairy milk if you like!
The full recipe with specific proportions and detailed instructions can be find below.
Special Equipment Needed
- 1 standard sized loaf pan (9x5)
How to Make This Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and grease and flour and standard sized loaf pan (9x5 inches). Set aside.
- Whisk the flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a large bowl.
- Add the milk and dark baking syrup or molasses. Stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for an hour. Increase the heat to 300 degrees F. Bake for an additional hour. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes before tipping the loaf out onto a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Expert Tips
- Don't over mix the batter once you add the milk and dark syrup/molasses. This will help the loaf stay deliciously tender.
- Cool completely before serving.
FAQs
Kavring is slightly sweet and rich in flavor. Depending on the particular recipe you are using, it might have a bit of spice to it such as fennel, caraway, anise and/or cardamom.
Try adding a teaspoon or two of ground cardamom to the dough or for a seeded spiced version consider adding a teaspoon of fennel, anise and/or caraway seeds.
Once the loaf has cooled completely, store it tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Yes! Kavring freezes very well. Once the loaf has cooled completely, wrap it in plastic and then place it in a freezer bag or wrap it in a second layer of aluminum foil. It will keep in the freezer for at least 3 months.
In Sweden, Kavring is often enjoyed for breakfast or fika (the Swedish coffee break). It is delicious spread with butter and/or toppings such as fruit preserves, cheese, smoked salmon or pickled herring. Looking for more ideas for how to serve Kavring? Keep reading below!
How to Serve Kavring
- Spread generously with salted butter and enjoy. Sometimes simple is best!
- Add cheese to your buttered bread.
- Spread fruit preserves such as lingonberry or raspberry jam over your buttered bread.
- Add a few pieces of pickled herring and top with sour cream or crème fraîche and chopped red onion.
- Top with cream cheese and smoked salmon along with a few cucumber slices, red onion and fresh dill.
- Serve alongside Swedish meatballs.
- Top with hummus or pâté.
- Make smörgås, or Swedish open faced sandwiches (also known as smørrebrød in Denmark or smørbrød in Norway). Consider topping a slice of Kavring with hard boiled eggs, cucumbers, cold cuts, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickled mustard seeds....the sky is the limit! For more smörgås inspiration, check out this post here!
Related Recipes
Looking for more Swedish breads to bake at home? Give these delicious options a try:
Recipe
Kavring (The Easiest Swedish Rye Bread)
Equipment
- 1 standard sized loaf pan (9x5)
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 cup rye flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Swedish dark baking syrup or light molasses
- 1 ½ cups milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and grease and flour a standard sized loaf pan (9 x 5 inches). Set aside.
- Whisk the bread flour, rye flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add the dark syrup or molasses and milk and stir until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for one hour and then raise the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Bake for another hour. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before tipping the loaf out of the pan. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Kavring and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
Teresa
I have made this several times already! One of the best things about this recipe is that it is very easy to resize - I can make a regular size loaf or just a small bun! Molasses is a little bit too strong for me, so I usually use replace half of the molasses with honey. I also add some dark malt powder.
Kristi
Thanks for your feedback, Teresa! Glad you are enjoying the bread. I love your tip about using half honey!
Kristi
Julie
Hi Christina,
First time making Rye bread. It was truly easy and I was excited it turned out. However, mine didn't rise that high and wondered if I did something wrong.
Love your website!
Kristi
Hi Julie,
My first inclination would be to check to see if your leaveners are fresh. Old baking soda/baking powder can loose it's effectiveness. Hope this helps!
Kristi
Lena
Good morning,
I am looking to make a lingon grova, Can I add lingon jam to the Karving recipe and how much?
Kristi
Hi Lena,
I've never tried adding lingonberry jam to the Kavring but I like the sound of it! I would give it a try. Maybe start with 1 cup of jam to begin with and see how it goes? Please report back if you have a chance to experiment!
Kristi
BJ
Thank you!
I made the 9" x 5" loaf yesterday - delicious!
Will try the 8" x 4" at the same bake times (in my oven, the larger loaf took 1 hour at 200 degrees and 50 minutes at 300 degrees).
Kristi
Fantastic! I can't wait to hear how it turns out.
Kristi
BJ
Hello. A friend recommended this recipe, and I'll be baking it today. I am interested on whether you have suggested baking times for halving the recipe in an 8" x 4" pan. Thanks in advance!
Kristi
Hi BJ,
If you are using an 8 x 4 pan I think you can probably get by with making it one loaf as it is pretty close in size to the 9 x 5. I would bake it as directed in the recipe. If you suspect it isn't done, you can always poke a skewer in the center to make sure (the skewer should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached). If it isn't done, give it another 10 minutes and test again. Hope you enjoy it!
Kristi
Sherri
This was the simplest recipe and is so delicious. It's my favorite accompaniment to Swedish meatballs and sweet and sour red cabbage. Everyone raves about it.
Kristi
Thanks, Sherri! I love how easy this recipe is (and delicious)!
Kristi
Roxanne Devine
Dear Kristi,
Well, I'm embarrassed. I spoke too soon. I've printed the recipe and see the answer to my question regarding nutritional data at the end.
I'm also going to try that Dill Caper Butter!
Roxanne Devine
This looks really good! I'm going to give it a try later this week. Would you happen to have any nutritional information facts, such as: amount of fiber; minerals and vitamins?
I'm looking forward to exploring more of your recipes!
Roxanne Devine
Ana
Girl, this recipe is heaven. It turned out perfectly!! I honestly can't believe how fast and easy it is...I'm going to be making this allll the time haha thank you!!
Kristi
Thanks, Ana! I love how easy this recipe is, too!
Kristi
Karen
Hello,
I was wondering if 200° FARENHEIT is correct? 'Then raise it to 300°F...'
I was all set to make this, when I noticed the temperatures... I would have to bake it for a LOT longer than an hour.
Kristi
Yes! Bake it at 200 degrees F for an hour and then bump the temp up to 300 and bake for another hour.
Christina J
Thank you for this amazing recipe Kristi.
I've been trying many Kavring recipes over the years living abroad, but they never turned out like the true Swedish Kavring that I grew up on. When I looked at the picture of your loaf I doubted mine would look like that, but it turned out exactly the same.It's delicious and tastes like true Kavring.
I now make 2 loaves every time I make it and freeze half. This recipe works so well and is super easy.
Next up I will try the Danish Rye Bread. 🙂
Kristi
Hi Christina, So glad you liked the bread! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment.
Kristi