Scandinavian Chocolate Cake: Made With Rye Bread
A surprisingly light Scandinavian chocolate cake made with rye breadcrumbs & brazil nuts, then sandwiched together with blackcurrant jam & cream.
I must be better. My baking mojo has returned and I almost leapt out of bed this morning thinking I’m going to bake that Scandinavian chocolate cake that’s been on my mind. I know January isn’t traditionally the time for indulgence, but because we were both ill, CT and I had quite an abstemious Christmas, so I feel justified in making and eating a few ‘naughty’ things.
Scandinavian Baking
Trine Hahnemann’s book, Scandinavian Baking, passed briefly through my hands a while back. There were many gorgeous recipes which all seemed to contain some of my favourite indulgences including marzipan, cream and chocolate. Needless to say, I’m very tempted to buy the book. However, I did take note of one recipe that caught my eye as it uses rye bread instead of flour.
As some of you may know, I make rye sourdough bread on a regular basis, so this Scandinavian chocolate cake seemed particularly apt.
The recipe also included blackcurrant jam and as I still have a few jars of the chilli blackcurrant jam I made last summer, this seemed like a good opportunity to use some of it. Other than scaling down the quantities to make a smaller cake, using my chilli blackcurrant jam, swapping the hazelnuts for brazil nuts and a few other tweaks, I pretty much stuck to the recipe – haha!
Scandinavian Chocolate Cake
The rye bread and blackcurrant cake was surprisingly light given the ingredients used. It was also nicely chewy. All by itself it would be a good cake, but the added jam, cream and chocolate changed it into a bit of a marvel. The cream cooled the slight heat coming from the chillies in the jam and the chocolate added a little sophistication.
Rich, indulgent but also quite simple, this was even better than I was hoping. Now I know I can use rye bread to make cakes, I’ll no longer have those annoying bits of stale bread left at the end of the loaf.
This Scandinavian chocolate cake, otherwise known as Brødtort, comes from a region in Denmark where the tradition of cake tables almost puts our Clandestine Cake Club to shame. Invitees are expected to try a bit of every cake at a buffet consisting of at least twenty cakes. I think my record is about nine at one of our CCC gatherings and that was quite tough going.
Other Recipes That Use Stale Bread
- Bread & butter chocolate pudding
- Cheese & leek bread pudding
- Marmalade Runeberg cakes
- Snowdon pudding
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this Scandinavian chocolate cake, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard or Pinterest. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?
If you’d like more recipes for layer cakes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious, of course.
Choclette x
Scandinavian Chocolate Cake. PIN IT.
Rye Bread and Blackcurrant Cake – The Recipe
Rye Bread and Blackcurrant Cake
Ingredients
- 100 g stale rye bread I used my own rye sourdough which also contains various seeds
- 100 g brazil nuts
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 4 large eggs I used duck eggs
- 130 g dark muscovado sugar
- 30 g milk chocolate chopped into small pieces (I used Green & Black's 37%)
- 150 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 3-4 tbsp blackcurrant jam I used homemade blackcurrant chilli jam
Instructions
- Whizz the rye bread in a coffee grinder or food processor to create breadcrumbs.
- Similarly grind the Brazil nuts.
- Mix these together with the cocoa powder and baking powder.
- Separate the eggs into two bowls.
- Add the sugar to the yolks and beat with an electric whisk for a few minutes until the mixture is thick and pale.
- Fold in the bread crumb mixture until just combined.
- Whisk the egg whites with clean beaters until stiff, then fold into the cake mixture as gently as possible.
- Spoon into two 20 cm (8") silicon cake moulds or lined tins and bake for 7 minutes at 200℃ (400℉, Gas 6). Turn the oven down to 180℃ (350℉, Gas 4) and bake for a further 8 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for for ten minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whip the double cream until it holds its shape, but isn't stiff.
- Cover one cake with half the cream then blob the blackcurrant chilli jam over the top with a teaspoon.
- Place the second cake on top and spread this with the remaining cream.
- Scatter the chocolate over the top.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Linkies
I am sending this Scandinavian chocolate cake off to a brand new challenge created by Janice over at Farmersgirl Kitchen. #RecipeClippings gives us the incentive to trawl through our piles of magazine clippings, torn out recipes and hand written notes and then actually use them. A grand idea I reckon.
In the same vein, I am sending my rye bread and blackcurrant cake off to Bookmarked Recipes with Jac of Tinned Tomatoes.
The recipe called for hazelnuts, but when I went to find them in my cupboard I came across a packet of Brazil nuts which were past their sell by date. So I thought I’d better use those instead. This makes it eligible for the No Waste Food Challenge over at Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary.
Delicious cake. I used left over homemade sourdough Easter buns. Toasted hazelnuts because that’s what I had, topped up with cashews. Homemade blackcurrant jam. Agree with other poster that unlike many cream filled cakes it gets better with age.
So glad you liked it Lorraine. It’s an unusual, but delicious cake. Loved hearing you made it with with homemade sourdough buns and jam – five stars to you. Thanks for feeding back.
Thank you so much for this unusual recipe. I made it, and it was … interesting to say the least. After a few days, though, I really thought it was fantastic. It seemed to age like a fruitcake. Anyway, thanks!
I’m glad you grew to like it Jeff. Definitely interesting, but worth making I reckon.
I must try experimenting with breadcrumbs in cakes I always have a large bag in the freezer
I have bookmarked it to try soon after I get back to OZ. I leave SF tomorrow. Sounds delicious. Sorry – didn’t know you were sick!
Hope you have a good time and do give my love to everyone. We were sick when my mother was visiting you in OZ, so nothing recent. We had no Christmas that year.
What a super idea for stale rye sourdough (and brazil nuts past their best!) Yum! Thank you for sharing with the no waste food challenge 🙂
Isn’t it just Elizabeth. I was really pleased how well this turned out.
My gosh, how very creative Choclette. We are gonna have fun with this one.
Thanks Bintu. It really was fun, would never have thought it would work so well.
For all of us chocolate lovers, this seems like a perfect cake! I’m curious to try making one!
Would love to know what you think. If you do make it, let me know.
you have me , this is delicious, when you moving in with me to make me some lol, its my most loved cake yummy.
Haha yes, I keep wondering when some of the fab cooks I see on the net will move in with me Lisa 😉
Good to hear you’re feeling much better- what a rotten time of year to have both been unwell. Like Phil, I’m also definitely all for a little January indulgence and this beautiful cake certainly hits the spot!
Thanks Kate. Not sure there’s ever a good time to be ill, but we’re better now so feeling very happy 🙂
Holy cow that looks (and sounds) amazing!
Thanks Lydia 🙂
I’m all for a bit of January indulgence and this would fit the bill very well indeed. Whenever I make rye bread there tends to be some left (no idea why, maybe it’s a comment on my bread making) so this is definitely something to remember.
Bound to be your bread making Phil 😉
That looks spectacular Choclette! When I first saw it I thought you meant you had used rye bread flour but now I read it properly I see you have used actual rye bread – a genius idea for using up the end of a loaf. Brilliant!
I feel rather pleased with this idea too Vohn – not of course that it’s mine. I do sometimes use rye flour in cakes and it works very well too, but this is more fun.
you must be better indeed, this is a stunning cake. I love what you’ve done with the rye, it’s so intriguing!… and so perfectly naughty… this could be a picture from the summer!
Isn’t it good to have something like this in the depths of winter Dom – reminds us of summers gone and summers yet to be.
glad to hear you feeling better and this sounds like a great way to use up dried ends of bread – I have too many in my freezer (wonder if it would work for wheat sourdough!)
I don’t see why this wouldn’t work with any type of bread Johanna. I shall be experimenting 🙂
Your cake looks and sounds girgeous!
I love the flavour of rye bread so I will bookmark this recipe for future leftovers, it’s a great idea that I feel almost compelled to try!
……read that as gorgeous!………
PS lovely plate, too.
Do try it Jean, would love to know how you find it.
I was really pleased with the plate – 99p in a local charity shop I think.
Laughing at your challenge use of the ‘wrong nuts’. Looks lovely though!
Haha, you can never be too careful Fiona 😉
Golly, this is such a pretty cake to look at! All that creamy filling makes it all the more inviting!
Thanks Susan – it was a very tasty cake, but cream and jam make even good things better 🙂
Hope you feel better, yet another delicious cake recipe from you 🙂 x
Thank you Charlene – a lovely thing to say 🙂
I am loving cake at the moment. Eek! This looks yummy
It was yummy indeed Michelle. Do you mean you don’t always love cake???
I have never even heard of using Rye bread in cake, in so impressed but then I always am by your posts. Glad you are feeling better x
Thank you Deena 🙂 This was a new one on me too, but I shall be experimenting further with this now I know how well it works.
That looks lush and just what you need now you are feeling better to perk up your spirit. Never heard of rye bread in cake before. Unusual!
Thanks Jac. It’s a very unusual cake, but a very nice one.
I have never seen a cake with rye bread in, but it looks amazing. Very much like a black forest gateau
It does look rather like a BFG Alison, but it has lots of nuts in it, so has to be even better 😉
I don’t think I have ever seen a cake made with breadcrumbs. Sounds really interesting. Is the texture very different to usual cake? Great use for that jam too! Glad to hear you are better!
Thanks Kate. I think it would be hard to tell there were breadcrumbs in the cake if you didn’t know they were there. I’m looking forward to experimenting now 🙂
What a fab idea. While I don’t have homebaked rye bread around, do you reckon a shop variety would do, like Borodinsky bread?
I’m sure bought rye bread will be fine Galina. The recipe didn’t specifically say to use homemade, although she did suggest her own recipe for rye bread – of course!
Thank you! I don’t think I ever baked my own rye bread. One day!
I never came across a cake with rye bread in it but this sounds wonderful!
I so enjoy trying out something a little different, often the results can surprise you and this cake was really good.
Sounds wonderful. xo Catherine
Thanks Catherine 🙂
Wow! This looks amazing! I could eat that right now! The book sounds like it is worth taking a look at too. I look forward to your future posts. Steph x
Thanks Steph, that’s very kind. I look forward to your returning with more fab comments 🙂 I’m seriously thinking I’m going to have to get that book.
Good to hear you have your mojo back, my dear. What an interesting cake, I’ve never seen anything like it before, you would never know there was bread in it. Love the combo of chocolate, blackcurrant and chilli, super-yum! Thanks for being the very first entry for #RecipeClippings
Thanks Janice. I was surprised at how light and cake like it turned out and very tasty it was too. Glad I’ve managed one of your challenges 😉
OOh yes, it does sound good. I love the idea of using the breadcrumbs. I have seen cake crumbs used before but not bread. I like the sound of that book too. I must keep an eye out for it. Glad you are both better and yes, you deserve a treat, or two, or maybe even three. Happy New Year to you and CT. x
It was an interesting book Kath, the Scandinavian idea of cake seems rather different to ours. Thanks for your good wishes 🙂
Delicious recipe! I am still having treats occasionally. I could never be on a diet just because it is January, I just eat less..whenever I can. In any case this cakes looks lovely and I would have a slice at any time.. whether is January, August or December.
Happy new year!
Good for you Alida. I always think January is dreary enough, without not having any cake to look forward to 😉
If this is a scaled down version, how big was the original?!! It looks and sounds delicious!
Yes indeed Suelle, this is why I scaled it down by 2/3. The original used six eggs and 23 cm cake tins.
Oh my goodness that looks tasty! It almost looks like a Blackforest Gateau which I haven’t had for years.
So glad you’re both feeling better, I reckon you’ve both had your annual quota in one hit!
Janie x
That’s very generous of you to say so Janie – I thought you might have run screaming with all that cream! It is very tasty though. And yes, hooray, we are both feeling better and hopefully won’t get anything else again this year!!!