Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake (Kladdkaka)

By srumbel

Kladdkaka (aka Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake) is one of Sweden’s most beloved (and easy) desserts and every chocolate lover’s dream come true!
from thecafesucrefraine.com

Ingredients

• For the cake batter:
• 10 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• For the truffle topping:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 110
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• flaky sea salt I love Maldon

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Spray an 8-inch round or square cake pan with baking spray or grease the pan with butter and then dust with flour. Line the bottom of the pan with a round (or square) of parchment paper. Don't omit this or the cake will be difficult to remove from the pan.
Place butter in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl and cover bowl with a plate or paper towel. Cook in microwave on high power for 1 1/2 minutes, or until butter is melted.
Add sugar to the bowl with melted butter and whisk to combine. Add eggs, one at a time and stir well after each addition. Add the cocoa, flour, vanilla and salt. Stir just until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread out to an even layer. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Don’t over bake. The cake should be slightly firm on the outside but moist and sticky inside.
Cool completely OR let the cake cool for 10 minutes before adding truffle topping.
For truffle topping, heat heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl or cup for 1 minute on high power. Add chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir and allow to sit for 1 minute. Then stir until all chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Pour truffle mixture over the semi-cooled cake and spread to an even layer.
Allow truffle topping to cool for 10 minutes (otherwise salt will “melt” into the topping”, then sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt.

10. Cool for several hours, then refrigerate for 30 minutes before removing from the pan.

To remove, run a thin-bladed knife around the outer edges of the cake. Invert pan onto a dinner plate and, holding the plate and pan together, give it a good shake downwards. If the cake doesn’t release, go around the edges again with a knife then repeat with inverting cake. Once the cake is released, invert again so that truffle layer is on the top.

Serve with Easy Raspberry Coulis and a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Be careful to not overbake this cake. You want a somewhat molten, moist interior.

Don’t be tempted to use a higher temperature. Some of the recipes I tried called for baking the Kladdkaka at 400˚F. The outer edges got overdone and the center ended up sinking. Not so pretty.

Because you want the center of the cake to be “sticky” the traditional “toothpick test” won’t work. Just go according to the time and you should be fine.

When this cake comes out of the oven, let it cool for a few minutes in the pan. Then run a thin-bladed knife all the way around the edge, even if you plan on adding the truffle topping. This will make it much easier to remove later.

You need an 8-inch round or square cake pan for this recipe. You could also use a 9-inch pan but the cake will be pretty flat and low.

For easy removal of this cake and to ensure a pretty presentation, be sure to grease the pan well. You also want to line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. You can easily cut your own, but I love these pre-cut parchment paper circles. They make it a breeze when you get ready to make a cake.

If you’re cutting your own parchment paper rounds, quadruple the layers of parchment paper and cut 4 at one time. Store the extras in your cake pan. Next time you make a Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake, you’ll be all set to go!

This is a one-bowl cake. I use the microwave to melt the butter and mix up the cake in the same bowl. If you don’t have a microwave, melt the butter on the stovetop in a medium-size pot and mix up the rest of the cake right in the pot.

This cake freezes beautifully. I like to cut the cooled cake into small wedges, then freeze them for one hour, uncovered. Once the wedges are frozen, you can place them in a storage container or zippered bag. It will be easy to pull out just the amount of servings you need. Allow the cake to thaw completely before serving.

I use a sprinkle of flaky sea salt as a garnish and delicious gourmet touch. My favorite flaky sea salt is Maldon. It’s a little pricey for salt, but a box will go a long way. Don’t use it as an every day salt, but rather as a “finishing” salt for both sweet and savory dishes. To use it, take a pinch between your thumb and forefinger and rub them together to slightly break up the large flakes. It’s wonderful! And if you need a little gift for a foodie buddy, a box of Maldon will seal your friendship forever!

This cake is very rich. Even though it’s made in an 8-inch pan, you can easily get 12-14 servings from 1 cake. For a super elegant dessert, serve small wedges of this Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake on a pool of Easy Raspberry Coulis. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Expect lots of oohs and aahs!