Top 7 Northern Croatian Cakes

Međimurska gibanica is a traditional, highly caloric layered pastry originating from the Croatian region of Međimurje. It is usually served as a dessert after a big meal, but due to its nutritional value, it can also be consumed on its own. The pastry consists of several layers of phyllo dough filled with a combination of fresh cow's milk cheese, grated apples, ground walnuts, and ground poppy seeds, with the addition of raisins, cinnamon, rum, and sugar, according to personal preferences. The fillings are divided by alternating layers of thin dough. Međimurska gibanica is quite similar to the EU-protected Prekmurska gibanica, with some slight variations concerning the fillings and type of dough. The pastry is ready to be consumed after it has been baked in an oven and develops a golden-brown color of the exterior, and it is then typically cut into squares and served either warm or cold.Expand

Pogača z oreji is a traditional cake originating from the Podravina region, and it's especially popular in Đurđevac. Although there are a few variations, the cake is usually made with a combination of flour, sugar, salt, walnuts, and pork fat. The dough is made with flour, salt, and water. It is kneaded, rolled, and sprinkled with ground walnuts and sugar. The dough is then folded and kneaded, and the process is repeated two more times. It is then placed into a baking pan greased with pork fat, and small rhombical pieces are incised with a knife on the top of the dough before baking. Once golden brown and crisp on top, the cake is taken out of the oven and sliced into individual rhombical pieces.Expand

Međimurska bidra is a traditional cake originating from Međimurje. The cake is made with a combination of flour, milk, yeast, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, walnuts, and vanilla. The dough is rolled and cut into rectangles which are topped with a combination of ground walnuts, warm milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. The filling should have a spreadable consistency. Once assembled, the dough is rolled into a log which is then coiled into a snail-like shape and placed into a round baking dish. Before it's baked, međimurska bidra is traditionally brushed with egg wash and lukewarm water with sugar. The cake is served on Christmas Eve, but it's cut and eaten on December 26, St. Stephen's Day. Its shape symbolizes the king's crown and it's believed that the cake was inspired by a traditional Christian song Narodil nam se kralj nebeski.Expand

Cvetlinska gibanica is a traditional layer cake originating from the Croatian region of Zagorje. The base is made with a combination of flour, yeast, milk, sugar, and butter, while the topping consists of corn grits, fresh cheese, sour cream, milk, eggs, and salt. The layer cake is baked in the oven until the top develops a golden brown color. When served, gibanica is typically cut into long, rectangular pieces.Expand

Kelešica is a traditional cake without any fillings. It originates from the region of Međimurje. The cake is made with flour, pork fat, sour cream, sugar, and milk, although there are numerous versions of kelešica and ingredients may vary. When the dough is ready, it should be rolled and cut into desired shapes. It is then baked in the oven until golden brown on top. If desired, kelešica can be sprinkled with sesame seeds or poppy seeds. This traditional cake is simple, easy to prepare, and inexpensive, which is why it is often considered a peasant dish.Expand

Krapci is a traditional dish originating from the Croatian region of Međimurje. These simple peasant cakes can be served as a dessert or a main dish. Although they were made with a variety of fillings in the past, nowadays they are typically filled with cheese, walnuts, and apples. The cakes consist of flour, eggs, milk, oil, yeast, salt, sugar, cottage cheese, heavy cream, lemon juice, grated apples, cinnamon, sour cream, and ground walnuts. Krapci are usually baked in a big wood-fired oven, and they are especially popular at festive events and similar social occasions.Expand

This heavy, dense dessert cake is a specialty originating from the Croatian city of Varaždin. Varaždinska torta is especially popular in autumn due to an abundance of its key ingredient – chestnuts. The cake is made with a base consisting of butter, sugar, egg whites, egg yolks, grated chocolate, and flour. When the base is ready, it is cut in half, then filled with a flavorful combination of sweet cream, sugar, and chestnut purée. The cake is typically glazed with a combination of butter, chocolate, and vanilla sugar. It is recommended to decorate it with chocolate-dipped chestnuts on top.Expand