6-ingredient gooey Swedish chocolate cake (kladdkaka)
on Mar 17, 2018, Updated Dec 16, 2019
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This Swedish chocolate cake is not only one of the best I’ve ever eaten, but the easiest, too. One pan only and no whisking required. Just melt the butter and stir everything else in and you’re only 20 minutes away from oozy, gooey, richly chocolaty heaven!
Easy chocolate desserts like this always call my name, so when I saw it in one of those free supermarket food magazines recently, I filed it away in the ‘to make’ section in my head.Usually these ideas float around there for a long time before they (maybe) make it to the blog, but I couldn’t get this one out of my head.
Because, well, chocolate. And can you see how gooey and oozy and chocolaty it is? How could I resist? How can YOU resist?
What’s kladdkaka, anyway?
The recipe in the magazine was called Swedish chocolate cake, which in Sweden is called Kladdkaka. Apparently this is a very famous cake in Sweden and everyone has their favourite recipe for it. The cake should be very rich and chocolaty with a delicate crisp and chewy top but soft and gooey inside. A bit like a cross between fudgy brownies and a chocolate soufflé.
The easiest chocolate cake you can imagine… all in one bowl!
After I began to do a bit of research on this special-sounding Swedish chocolate cake, I found out from Top With Cinnamon’s Izy Hossack that there is a much easier way to make it than in the supermarket recipe I saw. So ridiculously easy that it only took me about 5 minutes to get it into the oven.
ALL you do to make this kladdkaka is:
- Line and grease one 18-20cm cake pan (a spring form pan is best).
- Melt the butter in a saucepan.
- Stir in sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla essence and flour.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
But look how incredibly chocolaty it looks!
I really think this easy chocolate cake is hard to beat … certainly as a quick chocolate desert to whip up for guests that looks quite impressive even though it’s only one tier and doesn’t have any kind of frosting.
So how do you serve kladdkaka?
Swedish chocolate cake doesn’t need any frosting or topping. Just turn it out and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar/icing sugar or cocoa powder.
There. It looks quite impressive just as it is, doesn’t it?
If you like, you can serve it with whipped cream and ice cream and some strawberries or raspberries.
I’ve made similar sticky chocolate things to this that tasted quite good too but they took 3 or 4 times longer to make. This cake only has SIX ingredients in it.
Just try not to overbake the kladdkaka because you don’t want to lose that lovely sticky gloopy-ness in the centre. The cake is done when the top is firm but breaks quite easily when you put a bit of pressure on it.
Can you make this Swedish chocolate cake ahead?
Yes! Make it a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge if you like, then simply warm each piece separately in a microwave for about 20 seconds.
If there are any leftovers (and this is a big ‘if’!) pop them into the fridge and steal little bits every time you open the fridge. Well, this is what I always do. Oops. You’ll find when cold this chocolate cake tastes just like fudge! You could even cut it into small squares and tell your friends that it actually IS fudge!
Even Mr. Scrummy, who doesn’t usually like chocolaty cake things of any kind, loved this quick chocolate dessert. It was so scarily good that we ate half and froze the rest to stop ourselves from eating it all in one go.
This yummy chocolate cake would be perfect to serve to guests at Easter with mini chocolate eggs sprinkled over the top, or really for any special occasion.
To help you with this recipe:
I like to use a 7 to 8 inch springform cake pan like this one to make this gooey chocolate cake. Because it’s such a gooey cake, it’s quite delicate when just cooked and this makes it really easy to turn out onto a plate or cake stand.
More really easy desserts
5-minute chocolate banana ice cream (healthy nice cream!)
Easy magic lemon pudding (most controversial recipe on the blog!)
Addictive peanut butter Cheerio bars
No bowl chocolate pecan bars (magic bars!)
5-minute chocolate pots (only 4 ingredients!)
6-ingredient Gooey Swedish Chocolate Cake (Kladdkaka)
Ingredients
- 4¾ ounces salted butter, (US = just over ½ cup, or just over 1 stick)
- ½ cups cocoa powder, (plus 1 tablespoon) unsweetened, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1¾ cups sugar
- 1 cup plain flour, (actually, just less than a full cup, about 0.85 cups)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs, lightly whisked
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/355F. Line the bottom of a 7-9 inch (see note below) springform cake pan with a circle of baking paper, then grease the paper and the sides of the pan.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then take off the heat and set aside.4¾ ounces salted butter
- Add the cocoa, sugar, flour and vanilla to the butter and stir a little. Then add the eggs and stir everything together until well combined.½ cups cocoa powder, 1¾ cups sugar, 1 cup plain flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 eggs
- Pour the mixture into the cake pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (see note below) until the top is set but the centre is still gooey (the top should be firm but crack under a little pressure from your finger).
- Let the cake cool in the pan, then run a knife between the pan and the cake to loosen it. Turn out onto a plate or cake stand (see note below). Dust generously with cocoa powder and serve warm with ice cream or cream.
Notes
A note on which cake pan to use
I usually use a 9 inch spring form cake pan for this cake, because that's what I have, and it comes out as you see in the photos. The original recipe that I adapted this from, however, states to use a 7 inch pan. I'd say that anywhere from 7 to 9 inches will work well. You might need to make the recipe a couple of times to get the baking time just right (yes, it's one of those recipes, but once you've nailed it, you've nailed it). See below for more hints on getting your cake just right!Getting your cake just right
Although this is a super quick, easy and delicious cake, it can 'sometimes' (not always) take a bit of perfecting. If your cake still isn't cooked on top after 20 minutes, keep checking it every couple of minutes until it is. I usually find 20 minutes is about right, but of course it depends on your oven/the exact size of your cake pan etc. One reader reported that the cake took 30 minutes in her oven. So the first time you make this might be a bit of an experiment to see how long you need to cook it in your oven! You want to avoid overcooking the cake though, because then it won't be as deliciously gooey.After your cake is cooked...
You'll find that your cake is quite delicate just after cooking. Let it cool in the pan, then turn it out onto a plate or cake stand. I usually hold a plate on the top, then invert it quickly. Your cake will then be on a plate, but it will be upside down. To turn it back the right way, I put another plate on the bottom of the cake and turn it back the right way.Can you make this chocolate cake gluten free?
Yes! I officially tested this recipe using just almond flour in February 2020. It works just as well as it does with ordinary flour. In fact if anything it's slightly more delicious (if that's possible) because you can very slightly taste the almonds. I haven't tried the recipe with gluten free plain flour, but I'm pretty sure you'd have no problem doing a straight swap. The recipe doesn't contain a lot of flour, so flour substitutions tend to work well. Good luck! Serving suggestion: I like to serve this cake warm with ice cream on top. It's also delicious with fresh raspberries! Or elevate the dessert even more with this 5-minute raspberry puree - you won't believe how easy it is to make. Love gooey chocolate cakes? If you love kladdkaka, you'll love this slightly less sweet and arguably slightly fancier Italian equivalent - torta tenerina. Try these gooey strawberry brownies as well. Also love layer cakes? Try this easy chocolate orange cake with 3-ingredient ganache.Nutrition
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND RATING BELOW… AND DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ALL MY NEW RECIPES BY EMAIL!
Can you please put ounces as well as cup as we don’t use cups here. Thanks x
Hi Barbara, there’s a little toggle to switch to metric. Is that any good?
I am a horrible baker and I usually end up with just a big chocolatey dry chunk. This is the best thing I have ever ever made thank u so much!!! So delicious!!!
Yay! So great to read this, Sierra. I’m so happy you found it simple and it came out tasting yummy and gooey! Thank you so much for letting me know!
That was delicious. Such an easy way to enjoy chocolate. Will definitely keep in my recipe box. Mine came out perfect at 22 minutes.
I’m delighted to hear this, Chris! Thank you so much for letting me know, and it’s especially helpful to know how long it took to bake in your oven. Thank you! 🙂
Is it supposed to jiggle when it’s done? I’m trying to get it right but my oven is a bit weird sometimes and I’m not great at baking!
Hi Carolyn! Usually if it’s jiggling it’s probably still runny inside. It’s done when it’s ‘just’ firm on top but a skewer or cocktail stick poked into the center comes out with a few sticky crumbs on it (not raw batter). It’s a little bit of a fine art the first time but once you’ve got it you’ve got it! How did you get on in the end?
Just saw you comment, thank you! When I took it out it was still way too runny inside so I put it in for another 10 minutes but it was still too runny. So next morning I put it back in and then it turned out too hard. I moved abroad and the ovens here are so finicky and weaker than US ones so I think it’s gonna be trial and error! Will try again maybe tonight or tomorrow as I need my fix of chocolate:)
So happy you liked it! Definitely try again, then make a note of the time. You’ll make it again and again!
So good! Tastes like the best brownies you’ve ever had. I make a 10th of the recipe, easy with a scale, and use 1T egg. It makes two perfect cookies baked for 6 minutes. Of course it’s not as good as the cake, but works for a chocolate craving.
I absolutely love that you tried making cookies with this recipe! I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say that before. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Family favorite! Everyone requests this and its so easy to make- now the kids can make it for us all! I ran out of AP flour once mid recipe and only had almond and used 1/2 of each. It came out fantastic! Today (its in the oven as I type) we ran out of white sugar, so I’m trying half brown. We’ll see how it comes but my expectations are high because this recipe is the no fail, perfect gooey chocolate delight! Thank you, Helen, for sharing this special recipe.
I’m so happy to hear this, Anjuli! Thank you so much for letting me know! Bonus points for finding something easy enough for the kids to make. I’m also glad you made it work with almond flour. I once made it with all almond flour, and that turned out perfectly too 🙂
Hello – I’m hoping to make this recipe but wasn’t sure what type of sugar to use please? Thanks!
Hi Ellie! Just regular white sugar will be fine. Extra fine/caster sugar would be fine too. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Amazing! I will be adding this to my regular baking yummies. Easy, chocolatey deliciousness. Thank you!
Very happy to hear it went down so well, Sarah! It’s always the biggest compliment when the verdict is ‘will make again’! Thank you so much! 🙂
I’m 12 years old and I made this my first time and my family loved it. They are asking me to make it again today for other family members because my mom says that it’s so good. I highly recommend this recipe. It’s more of a brownie in my opinion but it’s an amazing gooey one!
I absolutely love that you did this, Anne! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to let me know what you thought. I’m so happy that you and your family liked it and that you’re making it again. You’re right – it is quite brownie like, but I love that it’s in gooey cake form! Thanks again and I hope you’re having a great day 🙂
It was my first attempt and it still came out wonderful. Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe! It’s a thin cake (for 1x recipe) but it’s so rich that our group of 7 ate only half the cake. Will add this to our family cookbook. It’s perfect for a small gathering or drop-in visitors, so easy and quick to pull together and bake.
Thank you so much for your kind review, Julie! We find the same – that there are usually leftovers. I either throw it into the freezer (freezes perfectly!) or pop it into the fridge and keep sneaking bites all week long 😉
can you freeze this before serving?
Hello Emma! Yes, absolutely – it actually freezes really well. Just make sure you wrap it well once completely cool, preferably in a double layer of plastic wrap and aluminium foil, and perhaps also in an airtight container to keep it from getting squashed! When ready to serve, let it come to room temperature, then you can either serve it cold or reheat individual slices in the microwave (just 15 to 25 seconds so it’s warm, not melting everywhere and over-cooking!). Enjoy!
I was wanting something chocolatey and easy to make with limited ingredients at 1AM. I came across this recipe and decided to give it a try. I also was out of vanilla extract but I totally cannot tell there’s no vanilla. It is cooking now and almost doñe and I have no doubt that it will be awesome with all the sugar, chocolate and butter I put in. Oh and I threw in what was left of a bag of chocolate morsels. Can’t wait!!!!
Thank you so much for letting me know how it’s going, Brandy, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as you hoped! 🙂
Like a previous reviewer, I also ended up with more brownie than cake, but I’m ok with that. It’s an infinitely better and easier brownie recipe than others I’ve tried. I’ve made it twice, both times as a double batch, and all 4 turned out great. The non-metric measurements aren’t entirely precise, but my rough estimates on butter and flour were fine. One of the few recipes I’ve found that I don’t feel I have to radically modify to get right
Hi Linda – you got me! 😉 I try to make many of my recipes like this, since I have readers from all over the world where measurements/ovens (everything) can be different. I’m so glad the recipe worked out well for you! Thanks for the feedback!
Wow, this is the first time something came out correctly in my first try! I did overcook it slightly but luckily I had peanut butter ice cream on hand! it was super delicious and nicely gooey
Hi Hanna. So happy to read this! Next time it will be absolutely spot-on. Thanks so much for letting me know how you got on 🙂
I was expecting cake but I got brownie lol. Maybe I cooked it for a little longer than I meant to but it was definitely brownie.
Hi! Yes, definitely try it again and cook slightly less. The ‘cake’ is indeed a bit brownie like, but not exactly! I’m glad you still liked it, though 😉
This was beyond expectation. A giant lava cake <3
I'll probably do about 23 mins next time but extra gooey didn't have me complaining.
I’m thrilled to read this, Devon! Thanks so much for letting me know, and it’s helpful to hear how long you’ll cook it for next time 🙂