Skúffukaka - Icelandic Chocolate Sheet Cake is a beloved Icelandic dessert combining a light chocolate sponge with a cocoa frosting and a sprinkle of shredded coconut.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and substitutions for Icelandic Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used here though salted could easily be substituted in place.
- Kefir: The traditional ingredient here, if you cannot source vanilla or plain kefir you could replace with buttermilk.
- Sugar: As a result of using superfine or caster sugar, the nice fine granules dissolve into our cake and add sweetness without adding additional flavors. Icing or confectioners' sugar is best for the frosting thanks to it’s fine texture.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs, add structure to our cake, the egg helps to bind everything together so are essential.
- Plain flour: Plain flour or all purpose is best because it helps give the cake it’s light texture and nice crumb. You also don’t want to overwork the batter so you don’t end up with a firm cake texture.
- Cocoa Powder: The star ingredient here so you’ll want a nice high quality cocoa powder for a truly chocolate packed flavor. I do not recommend substituting melted chocolate in equal measure here as this can be quite dense, however, chocolate chips or chunks would work well as an addition.
- Salt: Without salt the chocolate flavors will be dull so it is essential to adding dimension to the cake. Sea salt is best, but rock salt also works well.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract is the flavor powerhouse adding depth of flavor to the cake.
- Coffee: The coffee mixed with out cocoa powder deepens the flavor in both the cake and frosting. Instant or freshly brewed will work best.
- Desiccated coconut: Desiccated coconut is finer and adds a nice texture to our the top of our cake, though you could substitute with shredded coconut, if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Icelandic Chocolate Sheet Cake:
Step 1: Pale and fluffy: Whip the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric beater.
Step 2: Eggs: Add 1 egg and beat until well combined and fluffy, repeat with each egg.
Step 3: Dry ingredients: Stir the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and stir together.
Step 4: Toss: Into the wet ingredients and beat on low until just combined.
Step 5: Wet ingredients: Stir the kefir and coffee together and whip into the cake batter.
Step 6: Cake tin and bake: Spoon into your cake tin, smooth out and bake until a skewer comes out clean.
Step 7: Cool completely: Remove and allow to cool.
Step 8: Chocolate frosting: Stir the frosting ingredients until smooth.
Step 9: Frost your cake: Smear the frosting all over the top of the cake and finish with the coconut.
Step 10: Slice and serve: Dig in!
FAQ’s for the best Icelandic Chocolate Sheet Cake
Skúffukaka is pronounced "skoo-ffoo-kah-kah." The word "skúffa" means "drawer" and "kaka" means "cake" in Icelandic — referring to its flat, tray-baked form.
Yes! While shredded coconut is traditional for Skúffukaka, you can skip it if you prefer or substitute with chopped nuts, sprinkles, or leave the frosting plain for a simpler chocolate sheet cake.
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Icelandic Chocolate Sheet Cake (Skúffukaka)
Ingredients
Chocolate Sheet Cake
- 170 grams / 6 ounces butter room temperature
- 250 grams / 1 ¼ cups superfine/caster sugar
- 110 grams / 2 large eggs room temperature
- 320 grams / 2 cups plain flour
- 56 grams / ½ cup plain cocoa powder
- 5 grams / 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 grams / ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 80 grams / ⅔ cup vanilla kefir
- 130 grams / ¾ cup espresso cold or lukewarm
Frosting
- 290 grams / 2 ½ cups confectioner's/icing sugar sifted
- 21 grams / 3 tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
- 50 grams / 3 ½ tablespoons butter room temperature
- 20 grams / 2 tablespoons coffee
- 20 grams / 1 ½ tablespoons milk
- 22 grams / ¼ cup desiccated coconut
Instructions
Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350F and line a 23 x 33 cm or 9 x 13-inch baking tin with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes with an electric beater.
- Add 1 egg and whip until well combined, approximately 30 seconds. Repeat with the second egg.
- Toss the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl and stir together.
- Toss into the whipped mixture and whip on the lowest setting until just combined.
- Stir the kefir and espresso together and pour into the cake batter, whipping on the lowest setting until your batter is smooth and combined.
- Pour into your baking tray and bake until a skewer comes out clean, approximately 25 minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool in the cake tin for 5 minutes before removing and setting onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- While the cake is still warm, prepare the frosting by tossing the sugar, cocoa powder, butter, coffee and milk into a bowl and whipping with a whisk until smooth and combined.
- Spoon onto the cake and smear over quickly and evenly.
- Top with the desiccated coconut and set aside to cool fully.
- Slice and serve with a cup of your favorite hot beverage on the side.
Video
Notes
- Cocoa Powder: The star ingredient here so you’ll want a nice high quality cocoa powder for a truly chocolate packed flavor. I do not recommend substituting melted chocolate in equal measure here as this can be quite dense, however, chocolate chips or chunks would work well as an addition.
- Kefir: The traditional ingredient here, if you cannot source vanilla or plain kefir you could replace with buttermilk.
- Coffee: The coffee mixed with out cocoa powder deepens the flavor in both the cake and frosting. Instant or freshly brewed will work best.
- Baking tin: This fits best in a large rectangle baking tray. The one used here was 23 x 33 cm or 9 x 13-inches so something of similar size is best.
- Best stored: In an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate it for up to a week, although it’s best enjoyed at room temperature for maximum softness.
- You can freeze: The cake can be frozen, either whole or in individual slices. Wrap tightly, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving to enjoy its original texture and flavor.
Nutrition
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Made it and loved it?
If you have made this recipe, it would mean so much to leave a review below to help more people find this.
Reese
Had to make a large cake for a late summer picnic recently and this was so easy and such a hit that I'll be using this recipe again in future.
Sylvie Taylor
Thanks so much for your review Reese, great to hear how much you enjoyed making this and the great response you received for it.