Runeberg’s cake

In Finland we have the eternal discussion about how the Runeberg’s cakes should be. No right answer there will never be, it depends on what you are used to.

At Strandhagen, Runeberg’s cakes are baked in-house. In recent years, Hilkka Uusivirta’s traditional recipe has been used. The tortes contain gingerbread, crispbread, almond flour, and breadcrumbs. Thus, one might imagine that they are somewhat in the style of the originals, if originals ever truly existed. In any case, they are good, but a bit dry, so a hot mixture of water, sugar, and dark rum works well as a moistener. It’s also good to remember to add raspberry jam before baking and then add more afterward. The tortes should always be baked and prepared at least a day or two in advance so they have time to absorb moisture and develop flavor. But by that time, they are usually already eaten.