Cake #160 - Runeberg Torte and Cake #164 Runeberg Cake

Cake #160 Runeberg Tortes
Cake #164 Runeberg Cakes

J.L. Runeberg, the national poet of Finland was born 5 February, 1804. His wife used to bake these little tortes which later were named after him. The tortes are popular in Finland around Runeberg's birthday and are made by every bakery in the country and sold nationwide. And each and every Finn certainly has an opinion which bakery makes the best tortes!

As an expat Finn I have to bake my own Runeberg Tortes and they are not that bad either. I prefer mine with almond essence unlike my family so always need to bake two batches, one with almond essence and another without.

You can use the same recipe for making one or two bigger cakes instead of small tortes if you do not have suitable tins. I was lucky to find these nearly perfect tins in TK Maxx a while ago:

Runeberg Tortes or Cakes (makes 12 tortes or 2 small cakes)
Batter
200 g butter
100 ml brown sugar
100 ml granulated sugar
2 eggs
100 g ground almonds
200 ml finely ground dry breadcrumbs
300 ml plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
200 ml milk
(2 tsp almond essence or rum essence)

raspberry jam
icing sugar, a few drops of water

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C and grease and flour 12 muffin tins (or use paper cups) or 2 Ø 20 cm cake pans.
2. Cream together butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs and almond essence.
4. Mix together all dry ingredients and add them to the batter together with the milk.
5. Spoon the batter evenly in the muffin tins and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes).
6. Let cool and decorate with raspberry jam and icing.
7. If the tortes feel dry you can moisten them with sugary water flavoured with almond or rum essence).