Oatmeal and Jam Cake (Wedded Bliss Cake)

23. August, 2009

This cake is called Hjónabandssæla (Wedded Bliss Cake) in Iceland and is very popular in most households. It is similar to the Austrian Linzertorte. The Icelandic Hjónabandssæla comes in two versions, one is a a kind of crumbly pie, like my version and the other has a lattice design on top of the pastry (which requires a bit more decorative effort). The dough is rolled out in very thin strips of pastry and arranged to form a crisscross design on top of the jam. Hjónabandssæla is made with either rhubarb or prune jam and the Hjónabandssæla I grew up with was the prune jam and the crumbly top version. The reason for the name Hjónabandssæla is apparantly because it is a very easy cake to make, cheap, hardly ever fails and is therefore the perfect one for the new bride to make for her husband. I have made a healthier version of the traditional Hjónabandssæla and I use less fat (no saturated fat) and more of the healthy fats from nuts. I also use spelt and agave nectar. I make my own rhubarb jam but you can buy organic jam from health food stores. Healthier cake must surely mean even greater wedded bliss right? That's what I believe anyway!

If you can't find rhubarb jam or don't have time to make it you can get by with cooking 170 grams (6 oz) rhubarb, 50 grams (1¾ oz) dates and 20 millilitres (½ fluid oz) orange juice in a saucepan and then blending in a food processor.

Note that you will need a food processor and a 21 centimetres (8.2 inches) spring form cake tin to make this recipe

E-mail recipe

Print recipe

Add to Favourite Recipes

You don't need to be married to enjoy the bliss of this healthy cake

0 comments

This recipe is:

Egg free
Lactose (dairy) free
Vegan

Oatmeal and Jam Cake (Wedded Bliss Cake)

Makes 1 cake

Ingredients

200 grams (7 oz) rhubarb jam
100 grams (3½ oz) hazelnuts, toasted
50 grams (1¾ oz) cashew nuts, toasted
170 grams (6 oz) rolled oats
50 grams (1¾ oz) spelt flour
60 millilitres (2 fluid oz) agave nectar
4-5 tablespoons orange juice (or water)
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
A pinch of salt (Himalaya or sea salt)

Preparation

If you don't have rhubarb jam on hand you can make a quick version (don't worry this will only take a short while). Just chop 170 grams rhubarb and 50 grams dates and place in a medium saucepan along with 20 millilitres orange juice. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Place in the food processor and blend for 20 seconds). Transfer to a small bowl.
Place the 100 grams hazelnuts on a frying pan without oil and heat them for 10 minutes. Shift the nuts around in the pan. Let cool and rub the skins off.
Place the 50 grams cashew nuts in the frying pan and heat without oil for 5 minutes. Shift the nuts around in the pan.
Place the hazelnuts and cashew nuts in the food processor and blend for 30 seconds or until fairly finely ground.
Add the 170 grams rolled oats, 50 grams spelt flour and the pinch of salt. Blend for 10 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the 60 millilitres agave nectar and 4-5 tablespoons orange juice to the large bowl and combine well or until the mixture sticks together when pinched with your fingers. If the mixture is too dry, add a couple of teaspoons water or orange juice.
Line a 21 centimetres (8.2 inches) spring form cake tin with baking parchment.
Press two thirds of the mixture into the base of the tin. Press evenly so that no gaps remain.
Carefully spread the rhubarb jam evenly over the cake bottom.
Scatter the remaining third of the mixture in clumps on top of the jam. Cover as much of the surface as you can and press lightly with your hands.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius/350 Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 4, for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool.
Note that the cake will be a bit crumbly but it will taste delicious none the less. Use a very sharp knife to cut through it to minimise the breakage.
Serve immediately.

Tips

The cake will soften on the second day but you can pop it back into the oven for a couple of minutes so that you will have the "freshly baked" feeling again.
You can use all sorts of berries instead of the rhubarb. Why not try raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or blueberries?
You can also use prune instead of the rhubarb.
You can use wholewheat flour instead of the spelt flour.
If the coconut oil is cold (in which case it becomes solid), place the jar in a bowl filled with hot water for a couple of minutes.
You can use maple syrup or honey instead of the agave nectar.
You can use almonds or Brazil nuts instead of the cashew nuts.
If you buy rhubarb jam make sure it is organic.
The cake is wonderful served with home made vanilla ice cream!