I'm no mind reader, but I'm pretty sure this Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake is what you need right now. It's simple to make, super-chocolatey and calls for pantry staples that you are likely to already have on hand. See what I mean? It's just what you need. And did I mention it's gluten and dairy-free? YES. It's true. You can feed it to nearly everyone.
Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake is one of Sweden's most beloved fika treats. It meets all the requirement for an at-home afternoon baking project: Easy, delicious and an excellent pair with coffee. Think of it as a Swedish brownie cake that is lightly crispy on the outside and a bit gooey on the inside. Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake is delicious on it's own, maybe with a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top, but it can also be dressed up with a little whipped cream and fresh berries or ice cream and suddenly it's a company-worthy dessert.
Tips and Tricks for Kladdkaka Success
- Use a 9-inch springform pan. Springform pans are really nice for a cake like this because you are able to remove the sides of the pan and leave the base in place. Because this cake is indeed STICKY, it can be difficult to transfer it from the baking pan to a serving plate. Feel free to use a regular 9-inch cake pan or a pie plate, just plan on serving it straight from the pan.
- Grease the pan and dust it with cocoa powder. Again, this cake is delightfully STICKY, so measures must be taken to make it easy to release from the sides and from the bottom of the pan.
- Use canola oil instead of butter. Not only is canola oil a pantry staple, it makes an exceptionally moist and tender cake. In some cases, you might miss the buttery flavor but in a cake like this with BIG chocolate flavor, you won't miss it.
- Include a hefty dose of cocoa powder. Some recipes for Sticky Chocolate Cake call for as little as ¼ cup of cocoa powder. I tested several different amounts but kept coming back to half a cup which gives this cake deep, rich chocolate flavor.
- Use almond flour. Not only does this make your cake gluten-free, it ups the tenderness factor. You can sub in all-purpose flour, but your cake might be a bit less gooey and more brownie-like. Absolutely delicious either way!
- Add just a bit of espresso powder. This is optional, but a little bit of espresso powder really enhances the flavor of the chocolate without making the cake taste like coffee. Read this informative post here from the King Arthur Flour blog if you would like to learn more.
- Don't overbake. This is a bit tricky because of the gooey nature of this cake. The skewer in the middle of the cake trick just doesn't work here! Follow the times and watch for the visual cues (i.e., the cake will puff up in the center) and you should be fine.
- Cool Completely before serving. This allows the cake to set up properly and makes it easier to slice and serve.
I do hope you will give this delicious Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake a try! If you do, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I always enjoy hearing from you!
Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake (Kladdkaka)
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted + more for dusting the pan
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Powdered sugar for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a nine-inch round springform pan and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a separte bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until mixture is thick and pale yellow in color. Add oil and vanilla and continue whisking until fully combined. Fold in dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until the batter just comes together.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and even out the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center has puffed up. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into wedges and serve.
Siobhan Nash
Oh my gosh, this cake! It's dangerously delicious!! Rich and chocolaty, and not at all fussy. It's the perfect anytime chocolate cake. It was easy to make and turned out wonderfully with the gluten-free flour and avocado oil because I didn't have almond flour or canola oil on hand. Bonus: the cake is gluten- and dairy-free.
Kristi
So glad you enjoyed it, Siobhan! And it's good to know those substitutions worked out for you. It's a very forgiving cake! Thanks for your feedback!
Li
I only recently discovered this type of cake from a frozen one sold at my grocery store and was determined to be able to replicate as it changed the way I thought about brownies. This was super easy and delicious Thanks for sharing .
Kristi
Hi Li,
So glad you enjoyed the cake! Definitely one of my favorites. Thanks for commenting!
Kristi