Kladdkaka Recipe (gluten-free, vegan options)
Kladdkaka, also known as Swedish chocolate sticky cake, is amazingly gooey, delicious and only calls for 8 ingredients. This recipe includes a traditional (and whole wheat) option as well as a gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan version.
I’ve mentioned this in a few posts, but I was an exchange student in Sweden twice. The first time was when I was in the 10th grade.
Then I went back for 3 months the next summer, and then visited again the next summer. And the next. You get the idea!
I loved it so much that I did another year there as a junior in college, which is where I met Mr. Texanerin. In case some of you were wondering where I met my German! He was also an exchange student there.
I’ve shared quite a few Swedish recipes on the blog, and this kladdkaka is my favorite. Just like kanelbullar (and to a lesser degree, Swedish apple pie), you can find kladdkaka in just about every other cafe in Sweden.
We’d often go to cafes for fika, and I always got kladdkaka. And ate half of Mr. T’s kanelbulle (cinnamon bun). :D Fika is coffee and cake time, but is so much more. It’s an important part of Swedish culture – a social institution even.
Kladdkaka is extremely popular, and for good reason. It’s kind of like a cross between a brownie and a cake, and it’s super gooey!
This cake is great on its own, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or with just a light dusting of powdered sugar. It also goes great with raspberries. It would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Vanilla sauce is also wildly popular in Sweden and sometimes served with kladdkaka. This paleo vegan vanilla sauce would be great on this cake!
Kladdkaka is traditionally made with all-purpose flour and butter, but by using buckwheat and coconut oil, it was super easy to make gluten-free and dairy-free. And I swear – it’s just as good and you can’t tell any difference!
I also tested this cake recently with a chia egg, and it worked perfectly. I imagine a flax egg would also work.
If you don’t have buckwheat, whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour work just as well for a non-gluten-free version. I’m pretty sure whole spelt would also work well. For a flourless treat, try this Flourless Chocolate Torte!
This is one ridiculously easy cake to mak,e and the only way you can really mess it up is if you overbake it. When you take the cake out of the oven, it will still be gooey in the middle.
Hopefully you can tell by the photos! The toothpick test definitely does not work here.
Substitution questions about this kladdkaka?
Can I use something instead of the four listed flours?
I’ve “only” tested this recipe with the four flours listed. You could try another gluten-free baking blend that’s meant as a 1:1 sub for all-purpose flour, but since I haven’t tried them, I can’t say they’d work as well as the one I used (from Bob’s Red Mill).
Can I use regular cocoa powder or does it have to be Dutch-process?
I have another recipe, these zucchini brownies, and some people have mentioned how when they make them with regular cocoa powder, they’re more cakey and less gooey. So I’m hesitant to recommend it here. But if you try it out, please let us know in the comments how it turned out!
Can I use other egg subs?
I’ve only tried regular eggs and chia eggs but believe other egg subs would work fine.
Can I use something instead of coconut sugar or granulated sugar?
Another type of granulated sugar would probably work, as long as it’s something you would use in place of granulated sugar. Using a liquid sweetener wouldn’t work because it’d make the cake more cakey, and it’d lose its gooiness.
Can I use something instead of coconut oil or butter?
I never use it, but I’m guessing ghee would work! Not so confident about olive oil and other liquid oils.
That’s it. Hope you’ll enjoy it. :) If you try out this kladdkaka, I’d love to hear how you like it!
And here are a few resources if you’re new to the vegan or gluten-free diet:
- Is Cocoa Powder Vegan?
- Is Cocoa Powder Gluten-free?
- Is Hershey’s Cocoa Powder Gluten-free?
- Is Baking Powder Gluten-free?
Kladdkaka Recipe (gluten-free, vegan options)
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (141 grams) flour see notes
- 1/2 cup (58 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted if lumpy; I think Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder would also work
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs 50 grams each out of shells, room temperature; or 2 chia eggs for vegan, see notes
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar or tightly packed coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) refined coconut oil melted, see notes; or 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the sides of an 8″ (20 cm) round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.1 cup + 2 tablespoons (141 grams) flour, 1/2 cup (58 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients (eggs through vanilla). It’s okay if the mixture starts to separate. It’ll come together after you add the dry ingredients.2 large eggs, 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (113 grams) refined coconut oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until combined. It’ll likely be very thick and sticky.
- Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 14 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the very edge of the cake comes out clean. (A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out wet.) The edges should be crisp and the middle still moist and sticky. It’ll look underbaked but it won’t be totally liquidy.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then run a paring knife around the edge of the pan.
- Invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the parchment paper (if using a springform pan, no need to invert). If you made the gluten-free version, it may be a little gritty while still warm. Let it cool and the grittiness will go away.
- Serve warm, room temperature, or cold. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 5 days.
Notes
- For the flour, you can use 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (141 grams) light buckwheat flour or 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (155 grams) Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour for gluten-free or for a non-GF version, use 1 cup (125 grams) whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour.
- To make a chia egg, mix together 1 tablespoon of ground chia seeds and 2.5 tablespoons water. So for this recipe, use 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds + 5 tablespoons water. Let sit 5 minutes or until goopy like an egg.
- You can use unrefined if you don’t mind a bit of a coconut taste. Coconut oil must be used for this recipe to be dairy-free / vegan.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
- You can slice this however you like, but the nutrition information has been calculated based on there being 12 slices.
Buckwheat is not a grain – it’s a pseudo-grain. Please see the note below the recipe concerning this topic.
Hi, this recipe looks wonderful! I’ve made it sveral times without noticing that the amount of butter is 1/2 instead of 1/4 but I was adding some milk and it turned just fine ;p . Now I wonder If it will work with coconut flour or not! I should give it a try!
I’m so happy you like it! :) Coconut flour won’t work as a direct sub (since it’s not really interchangeable with any other flour) so are you planning on using a smaller amount or adding liquid? I’d love to hear how it goes. :)
I must’ve done something wrong just don’t know what! I used buckwheat flour and butter. Following the recipe to a t my cake was dry and def not sticky. I was careful not to over mix, before taking it out of the oven I did the tooth pick test but it is so dry:(
Trying to save it i covered it while still warm and put it in the fridge. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be better tomorrow. Boohoo
Oh no! I’m sorry about that. I have no idea what the problem could have been. Maybe it was an issue with the ingredients? I’ve made some recipes a dozen times without problems and then I switch brands and then it comes out totally different. I hope the cake is still edible! Sorry I couldn’t be more of a help.
My batter didn’t get very gooey, but very sticky (basically a big lump)..any idea what might’ve gone wrong?
Did you use coconut oil and wait a while before mixing the wet and dry ingredients together? If you did that, sometimes the coconut oil comes to room temperature and then the wet mixture isn’t all that wet, but kind of thick. Did it come out well, though? I hope you’re enjoying it. :)
I used (non dairy) butter..but it wasn’t very hot anymore so maybe thats the problem? The taste is pretty good though :) I will give it another go someday to see if it goes well then
That could be it! If the fat hardens, the batter will be quite thick. Next time, make sure the fat is still warm. :) I’m happy it came out well!
I made it with whole wheat flour. Very good. Like a dense brownie. I made it side by side with your peanut butter bars recipe. My kids loved the peanut butter bars and I loved this one!
I’m happy you all enjoyed the recipes! I especially love this one, too. Nice and dense. :) Thanks, as always, for your feedback!
Can I make this egg free for my vegan son – I thought of using egg replacer and flaxseed meal (which I often use as my egg replacer).
I haven’t ever used egg replacer or flax eggs so I’m afraid I don’t have any experience with that. Sorry about that! Good luck if you try it out. :)
Joanne, did you have any luck making it egg free? I can’t eat eggs but would like to make this for Saturday.
I haven’t tried it but 2 flax or chia eggs may work!
Super gooey brownie cake? That’s it! I’m moving to Germany so that we can be neighbors! I’m a brownie lover and I love the fudge like brownies….so from reading about this cake I have a feeling that I would go crazy for it!
YES! And bring the baking aisle of Wal-mart with you, please. :D
You over baked it? From your photos, it looks moist and I just want to take a fork to dive right in! I can see why everyone inhaled it. I can’t only imagine how gooey this cake must be cooked 6 minutes less!
Thanks! And yup – it’s supposed to be super gooey. :)
You always introduce me to new and exciting things. This looks delicious.
Thanks! :)
Mmmmmm…gooey chocolate. I keep gathering up your recipes featuring buckwheat flour so that I don’t waste the next bag I buy (like I did the last one). This just shot straight to the top of that list!
That’s so nice to hear! Definitely go with a chocolaty dessert when baking with buckwheat. :)
Erin, do you use coconut oil or butter?
I’ve made it with both and they work just as well. :)
Like the others who have already commented – I haven’t heard of kladdkaka either – but it looks delicious!
Thanks, Martha!
I’ve never heard of this but it sounds wonderful
Thanks!
Hi,
How come you post so many Swedish recipes(I think it’s awesome btw)? Do you have family or friends there or something?
Hej, hej! In high school, I was an exchange student in Hudiksvall and in college, I was an exchange student again in Uppsala. And I go back quite often because I really, really love Sweden and Swedes. :)
I had never heard of kladdkaka before but the name sounds fun and I definitely want to try your recipe! Perfect to satisfy a chocolate craving :) I made your healthified brownies once and they were delicious, I’m sure this cake will be just as good!
I’m so happy that you liked the brownies! If you like gooey things like those brownies, I’m pretty sure you’ll love this cake. :) I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do!
Well, needless to say I have never had this. Neither can I pronounce it. HAHA!! It does look good.
Haha. Well I hope you give it a try! :)
Looks so moist.. Yummy!
Thanks, Medeja!
To me, this cake looks perfect. Granted, I don’t really know how it is supposed to look, but it looks moist and decadent and I want to try it right away! I can’t imagine how I managed to miss this in the book!
Thanks! And maybe because the picture is terrible in the book? It’s easy to miss! ;)
Wow that looks incredible! I’ve been meaning to try kladdkaka, this healthy version sounds great :)
Thanks, June! I hope you’ll give it a try. :)
Ok, I’ve never had Kladdkaka, but I’m sold. This looks fantastic :)
Thanks, Emma! I hope you’ll get a chance to try it out. :)