Try the unique and delicious Ljubljana cake and satisfy your sweet tooth
Just like Vienna has its Sacher cake and Salzburg has Mozart pralines, Ljubljana too, has its own special confectionery treat, called the Ljubljana cake. And it is a special cake! Made with local, all natural ingredients and it’s perfect for indulging on special occasions or simply as a daily dessert after lunch.
Rich, delicious and decadent, the Ljubljana cake is a real treat. Because the city of Ljubljana is right in the middle of Slovenia, the cake itself is a mixture of Alpine, Pannonian and Mediterranean cuisine and it depicts the diverse Slovenian culinary heritage. It’s also a part of the Taste Ljubljana project, which brings us traditional Ljubljana dishes made from local ingredients and is available in selected restaurants. I recommend taking the Taste Ljubljana food tour, where you can try many of those dishes and learn something along the way. Remember, there are many other desserts besides Ljubljana cake, be sure to check them out, however, the cake is truly my favourite.
What is made from?
The Ljubljana cake is like no other. Of course it contains chocolate, because that’s the yummiest way to go, however it’s also made with ingredients that are typical for Slovenian region, such as buckwheat, figs, chestnuts, pumpkin and honey. The honey taste in my opinion is quite apparent as it was used as a processed sugar alternative. It also doesn’t contain any preservatives and artificial sweeteners. It’s usually decorated with pumpkin seeds, which gives them a more earthy look and taste.
And there’s a whole story behind it too …
The cake also comes with a romantic story, a legend if you will. It is said, that the Ljubljana cake was born, when a clever cook tried to win the heart of a beautiful maiden, a daughter of the lord that lived in the Ljubljana castle. The lord wanted nothing but the best for his daughter and decided that he who comes up with the tastiest dessert, would be rewarded with his daughter’s hand in marriage. The creative cook and the beautiful lass did eventually marry and Ljubljana cake was served as a starter, main course and dessert. A tad overkill, don’t you think?
Where can you try it?
As the cake recipe is a carefully guarded secret, it’s not available just everywhere. Currently, you can enjoy the cake at the Grand Café Ljubljana, under the Plečnik’s arcades at the farmer’s market, where you can enjoy the view on the Pogačarjev square whilst enjoying your slice of cake.
