Sweet Cake with Lingonberries

Russian candy (kinuski in Finnish, kola in Swedish) is a common dessert sauce or cake frosting here. It’s made by simmering cream and brown sugar until they reach desired thickness. Sauce is usually eaten with ice cream and/or berries. Acid of the berries is a nice contrast to the sweetness of Russian candy.

I’ve also made a gluten free version of this cake by using gluten free flour mix (Semper Fin Mix) instead of wheat flour and substituting bread crumbs with gluten free bread crumbs, coconut flakes or crushed almonds. If you have a teflon tin, greasing is probably enough and you can omit bread crumbs.

Russian Candy and Lingonberry Cake

batter:
3,5 dl wheat flour
2 dl sugar
2,5 tsp baking powder
1 dl rhubarb jam*
1 dl oil
2 dl mineral water or other sparkling drink

for the cake tin:
margarine and dry bread crumbs

Mix wheat flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Add rhubarb jam and oil and stir. Last add the mineral water. Grease a cake tin with margarine and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Pour the batter to the tin and bake in 200 Celsius degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

filling:
lingonberry jam**
vegan whipping cream (+ sugar)

russian candy:
1,5 dl oat (or soy) cream
1,5 dl brown sugar

Cut the cooled cake in two or three layers. Whip the cream and season with sugar if necessary. Fill the cake with lingonberry jam and whipped vegan cream.

Mix the oat cream and brown sugar in a sauce pan. Heat on medium heat, constantly stirring, until it starts bubbling. Simmer constantly stirring until it’s thick enough. Usually it takes 10-15 minutes. How do you know it’s thick enough? Take a glass of cold water and add a drop of Russian candy. If it dissolves into the water, it’s not ready. If you can take it in your hand and it’s like soft plasticine, it’s ready. Quickly pour the Russian candy on top of the cake and spread with a spatula. Allow to set in refrigerator. Decorate the sides with whipped cream.

*You can also use apple jam or mashed banana instead of rhubarb jam.
**Other berries, like cloudberries, raspberries or cranberries go well with Russian candy too.