It has been 22 years since Nitimen named Kvæfjordkaken Norway’s national cake. We at NRK wanted to see if it still holds up when new generations grow up and habits change.
We asked the public to nominate their favorite cake. Almost 800 entries were received.
11 scrumptious cakes were selected by a jury to participate in the final. The jury consisted of presenter Ulrikke Brandstorp and judges André Løvaas and Marthe Kilen from The baking championship.
And the vote was a thriller. Only one percentage point separates first and second place!
In third place
Cheese cake is among Norwegians’ top three favourites
Photo: Marit Hegle
With 11 percent of the votes, cheesecake was named the third most popular cake.
Cheesecake recipe
Second place
Succesterte took second place in the selection
Photo: Tone G. Johannesen / NRK
It almost lasted, but only almost. Success tart, also called yellow cake, came in second place. The cake with a nut base and yellow buttercream received 16 percent of the votes.
Recipe for success tart
The winner!
The world‘s best, also called Kvæfjordkake, is Norwegians’ favorite cake
Photo: Rolf-Anders Vollan
With a cream length ahead of the others, we declare the world‘s best, also called Kvæfjordkake, Norway’s favorite cake! 17 percent voted for this classic.
Recipe for the best in the world
Really exciting
– I was very excited to see if any of the “newer” cakes could beat this old classic, says Ulrikke Brandstorp, who is on the jury and presenter of the Baking Championship
Ulrikke Brandstorp is on the jury for the Favorite cake.
Photo: JULIA MARIE NAGLESTAD / NRK
– It was an incredibly even competition. Now it’s been a long time since I’ve eaten this cake. Maybe I’ll bake myself this weekend, laughs Ulrikke.
Surprised
Judge in the Baking Championship, Marthe Kilen, is surprised that it was the Kvæfjordkaken that won.
– Yes, I really am. Felt it was high time for a new favorite and really hoped for it, she says.
Marthe Kilen is a judge in the Baking Championship together with André Løvaas.
Photo: Anders Myhr Nielsen / NRK
The confectioner says that there is still a lot of good in the World‘s Best.
– It’s a good cake, and it’s relatively easy to make. It has a juicy cake base, crispy and delicious meringue and velvety vanilla cream with real vanilla. I think it’s extra good with some fresh berries inside, she says.
Peace when the cake was served
Ulf Oppegård has more to thank his favorite cake for than most:
– I was going to visit the lady’s parents for the first time. It turned out that it was the father’s birthday, the whole family was gathered in Askvoll and Kvæfjordkake was served.
– It was incredibly good and I asked if she could make such a cake. When she confirmed it, I proposed right then and there with the whole family present. It was very quiet around the table, but we were happily married, laughs Ulf.
Was well married: Ulf Oppegård proposed live when he learned that his girlfriend could make Kvæfjordkake.
Photo: Private
Crispy and good
However, you don’t need to have lived in Norway for a long time, or be from the Harstad region, to have a good relationship with kvæfjordkake.
– It’s a very good cake. I have served it myself, but not made it, says Kanita Sulejmanovic, who is from Sweden, but came to Norway eight years ago.
What is the best thing you know about the cake?
– That’s the crispy part. The middle part is a little sweet, I think, while the top part is very good, and the almond on top, of course.
Kanita Sulejmanovic with her son Ayden.
Photo: Henrik Einangshaug / NRK
Ulf Oppegård, on the other hand, is not the only one who has a slightly extra special relationship with the kvæfjord cake.
Kvæfjord on the map
– In 1978, when we got married, “the best in the world” was served on the cake table. Later it became known as kvæfjord cake. It is one of our favorite cakes, absolutely, says Hans Viggo Haugan about the couple’s first meeting with the cake.
Is it a bit special that it is from the area?
– It puts Kvæfjord on the map, in a positive way, when almost the whole country knows about the cake, and has probably tasted it, says his wife Berit. I think it’s a bit fancy.
Hans Viggo and Berit Haugan have Kvæfjordkake as one of their favourites.
Photo: Henrik Einangshaug / NRK
This is how the cake should be
At Obs Kafe in Harstad, Karin Jacobsen, who has been serving the cake to hungry visitors for almost 24 years, has no doubts about what characterizes a good Kvæfjord cake.
– There is a good base and a good cream inside. The base must not be too tough, that is not good, it must be porous, says Jakobsen, and explains that they sell a lot of Kväfjord cake, every day.
Karin Jakobsen has served countless Kvæfjord cakes.
Photo: Henrik Einangshaug / NRK