This Swedish Toscakaka is the platonic ideal of afternoon tea cakes. It is light and buttery and moist in texture, with intense flavours of vanilla, caramel and almond. Toscakaka and coffee are a match made in Norse Heaven, which, if my rewatchings of the movie are anything to go by, is called Valhalla. I have always had a huge pash for Norse mythology (nerd alert). It’s just so cool! Their gods and their philosophy – it’s all about partying super hard, and fighting super hard, and doing everything super hard. Obviously they use different terminology, but you get the gist. 
In Swedish they have a word “fika” which doesn’t translate directly into English. Wikipedia says that it means coffee break, but from other information I’ve picked up, it has a more complex implication. It expresses the importance of taking time out to spend time with friends, or colleagues or loved ones in an informal setting. Fika is both a verb and a noun. To fika is to sit and have something to eat, and something to drink and to enjoy them both immensely. 
Frankly, it would save me a lot of time to have one word to describe this act, as I find myself doing it so often, and wanting to do it so often! Come over and fika with me! I could say. When my Dad rings me up and asks what are you doing? Fika-ing, I would answer! When I’m staring down the barrel of a huge pile of work, and planning out my day, I could add a half hour break – for Fika. And yes, I am aware that I am using this word in a hideously inconsistent way, but rest assured that it’s just because I am in the first flush of Fika-love. 
Scandinavia is enjoying a huge renaissance in the food scene at the moment, with restaurants like Noma, and the excellent food writers from the area, such as Trine Hanneman, and Signe Johansen. I have always had an abiding love for the cold North of Europe; I love their food, their design, their style. But now more than ever I would love to go and visit! I think that a blanket of snow outside and crackling fire inside would suit me just fine. In fact, it sounds like the perfect time to fika. 
Internet food community, do you have a favourite fika recipe? And what do you think, is there still time in our hectic fast paced lives for fika? And should there be?
Toscakaka Caramel Almond Sponge
Adapted from Signe Johansen’s Scandilicious Baking, 2012 Saltyard Books For the cake:
3 eggs
150g caster sugar
zest 1 lemon
150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
big pinch salt
75g salted butter, melted
75ml buttermilk
For the Praline:
125g salted butter
125g brown sugar
150g flaked almonds
50ml buttermilk
1tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp sea salt Preheat the oven to 180C. Whisk the eggs, sugar and zest in a stand mixer on high speed until they have at least doubled in volume and are very pale and light. They should hold a ribbon for about 2 seconds. Sift or mix together the flour and baking powder (sifting is better). Add one third of the flour, and begin to fold it lightly through the egg mixture, followed by half the butter and then half the buttermilk, folding between each addition. Repeat this process, ending with the final amount of flour. Pour into a greased and lined 23cm tin and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden and springing back when touched. Remove the cake and turn the oven up to 220C.
Meanwhile, prepare the praline topping. Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 3 minutes. It should be the consistency of a slightly thick syrup.
Once the cake has come out of the oven, pour the syrup over the cake slowly, letting it soak into the cake as you go. The almond will need some coaxing to get into an even layer, which is fine, coax away! And then back into the oven with the whole shebang (on a tray, just in case) until the topping is slightly crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let it rest in the tin for another 15 minutes or so, before running a knife around the cake, gently, and unmoulding it. Let cool on the base of the tin completely, before serving. For fika, obviously.
Ooh I ‘ve seen this cake at Ikea but I think your version would be so much nicer! Love the almonds on top :D
I’m not sure I can compete with Swedish efficiency, but I can say that this is delicious!
This sounds glorious! There should always be time for fika, in fact it should be a mandatory part of every day – for mental health and the like. My favourite ‘fika’ is a Dutch apple cake – one bowl mix, bang it in the oven, then enjoy the sweet, spiced, darkly sticky fika on a plate.
Yum, Dutch Apple cake sounds relish! Recipe please!
These photos are absolutely lovely. I had to have something sweet for breakfast after seeing them!
Wow, thanks Sydney! I freaking love the photos on Crepes of Wrath, so that means a lot. :)
Absolutely beautiful! I want :)
Thanks Kiran. :)
How utterly gorgeous does this cake look? I need to try this technique, totally drooling!
It is DELICIOUS! Definitely worth a try!
Yum! Just taking a batch of caramel cupcakes out of the oven… (not exactly right now, but you get me, right?) Am on a little caramel buzz! Maybe I’ll try this next.
Thanks for sharing. Hazel x
My pleasure, Hazel! Caramel is where it’s at.
Our department at uni has a Fika Friday every week for coffee and snacks. It’s a great tradition. We definitely need breaks. And this cake looks amazing. The topping looks so crispy and sweet. Amazing!
Fika Friday sounds amazing!! Jealous.
Argh! my weakness have come together in this cake! I love discovering new cultures and I have recently purchased this EXACT BOOK. After finals, I am digging it to it! Fantastic use of caramel and nuts
It’s SUCH a good book. My tweaks just suited what I had in the house/made it a bit simpler. Love your blog, by the way. :)
I love the nut garnish on top of this cake! It sounds delightfully rich too, and the texture of those crunchy almonds on top…wonderful :)
Thanks Eva – the almond praline almost melds with the cake – it is perfect Fika Fodder.
Oh my gawsh, girly, this cake is fabulous!
Thanks Ashley.:)
This. Looks. Amazing.
I wish I had a few slices in front of me right now.
Thanks Ilan! P.S. I love your name.
This looks incredible!! Those caramel-y almonds on top look to die for! Pinned :)
Oh awesome, thankyou!
I love the almond layer on top. It must be delicious. The whole cake sounds great.
Thanks Marta. It iiiiiis!
I hadn’t thought about it until reading this post, but Scandinavian food does seem to be having a moment. I’ve seen this cake on menus but never tried it myself, although it looks fabulous.
Also fabulous? Fika! I have a Swedish friend who’s been preaching the fika gospel for awhile, and I have to say, it’s lovely. Anything that involves not working and has the possibility of cardamom buns is fine by me.
OH GOD THE BUNS!!! The swedes know their buns! Inspiration! I’m making some.
From now on, Fika goes into my vocabulary! I love how you describe and use it, jaja, it really does work. And that cake, amazing, amazing, amazing!
Another convert for Fika! Woopwoop!
Sarah this looks so delicious!! That crunchy almond top is irresistible. Also, random but Valhalla always reminds me of when the girl from United States of Tara dresses up as Princess Valhalla Hawkwind. It’s fun to say.
What?!?!? I have never heard of Princess Valhalla Hawkwind before, and now I’m pretty sure she’s my alter-ego. Thanks Katie. :)
This looks lovely! I can never get enough almonds, whether in sweet or savory contexts, but especially sweet! I can just imagine how crunchy and sweet that topping would be. I’ve seen cakes like this before, but had no idea that this was a Swedish dish. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure! It was delicious – the Swedes know their stuff!
Beautiful! I love Almonds – and if they come in such a yummy shape – even more so!
Have a fika fab day ;-)
Thanks Sandra – I love them too.
Love the sound of this cake! I love discovering new baked goods on your site, it most definitely is a place of learning :)