Kvæfjord Cake “Verdens Beste” (World’s Best Cake)

Name: Kvæfjord Cake “Verdens Beste” (World’s Best Cake)
Prep time: 16 min
Cook time: 29 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Norway
Ingredients: 2 large Egg Yolks; 2 tblsp Cornstarch; 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar; 2/3 Cup Heavy Cream; 3/4 cup Milk; 1 vanilla pod; 2/3 Cup Butter; 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar; 5 Large Egg Yolks; 1 1/4 cup Flour; 1.5 tsp Baking Powder; 1/2 cup Milk; 7 Egg White; 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar; Sliced Almonds; 1 1/4 cup Whipping Cream

By The Spice & Simmer Kitchen · Published May 3, 2026

A one-pot Dessert recipe with Norway flavors, built for busy weeknights when you want real food without a sink full of dishes. Comes together in roughly 84 minutes, serves about 4, and uses ingredients you can find at any normal grocery store. The technique is simple: build a base in your pot, layer in the main ingredients, simmer until everything has had time to talk to each other, and serve straight from the pan. If you're cooking for picky eaters, this one tends to land — the flavors are recognizable, the texture is comforting, and there's nothing weird hiding in the ingredient list. Perfect for the kind of evening where you want dinner on the table by 7pm and the kitchen empty by 7:30.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings · 45 min total

2 large Egg Yolks
2 tblsp Cornstarch
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
2/3 Cup Heavy Cream
3/4 cup Milk
1 Vanilla Pod
2/3 Cup Butter
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
5 Large Egg Yolks
1 1/4 cup Flour
1.5 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup Milk
7 Egg White
1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
Sliced Almonds
1 1/4 cup Whipping Cream

Step-by-step instructions

Vanilla custard ▢ Separate the egg yolks and set aside the whites to use in the meringue.
▢ Whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar in a bowl.
▢ Heat the cream and milk in a saucepan. Split open the vanilla pod and add the beans to the saucepan. Once the milk begins to bubble pour about half of it into the bowl with the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Then return the saucepan to the heat and pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with remaining milk, whisking constantly. Once the mixture thickens lower the heat and continue whisking for about 30 seconds.
▢ Pour the custard into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing the plastic directly on the top layer of the custard. Chill in the fridge.
Cake ▢ Mix together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, setting aside the egg whites for the meringue. Add the flour mixed with baking powder. Stir in the milk, beating until smooth (you can use an electric mixer if you prefer).
▢ Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Cover a baking sheet with baking paper and spread out the batter into a large, even rectangle.
Meringue topping ▢ Whisk together the egg whites and sugar until you get glossy, stiff peaks. The meringue should hold its form – if it still melts continue whisking.
▢ Spread out the meringue on top of the cake batter. Use a spatula to form light waves with the meringue. Sprinkle almonds on top of the meringue. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the meringue and almonds are golden.
Cream filling ▢ Whisk the cream into stiff peaks. Carefully fold in the vanilla custard.
Assembly ▢ Once the cake has cooled, cut it in half. You can use scissors for this, or a knife on a cutting board, slicing through the baking paper as well.
▢ Place half of the cake on a serving platter with the meringue side down and peel off the baking paper.
▢ Spread the cream filling across the cake. Then carefully remove the other half of the cake from the baking paper and place it over the cream filling, meringue side up.
▢ Serve with fresh berries.

Why this works on a weeknight

Kvæfjord Cake “Verdens Beste” (World’s Best Cake) lands at about 45 minutes total — a little longer than our 30-minute target, but most of that time is hands-off simmering, which is why it earned a spot in our Sweet Finishes collection. The technique is forgiving, the ingredient list is grocery-store standard, and the active cooking time is short enough that you can answer a text message in the middle without ruining dinner.

Cleanup notes

This is a single-pan recipe, so the cleanup is exactly one pan, one cutting board, and one knife. While the dish rests, fill the pan with hot soapy water — by the time you are done eating, the residue lifts off with a single pass of a sponge. Skip the steel wool on cast iron; a stiff brush and warm water are all you need to keep the seasoning intact.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a dry pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. Kvæfjord Cake “Verdens Beste” (World’s Best Cake) actually improves overnight as the flavors keep talking to each other, so doubling the recipe and packing tomorrow's lunch is a high-leverage weeknight move.

Filed under 🍮 Sweet Finishes Dessert Norway