These moist almond and orange muffins have just a hint of rye and they’re topped with raspberry jam and a little vanilla frosting. Runeberg cakes are such a wonderful treat I’m left wondering why Fins reserve them for February.

I have a Danish friend named Helle. Every now and then Helle sends me ideas for the blog. She sent me this idea quite some time ago so it was time to give it a try.

Fins make Runeberg cakes every February to honor their national poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg. It’s said that he liked a cake that is very similar. So every February 5, Finnish bakeries feature these pretty little cakes to honor his birthday.

These moist little cakes are pretty easy to make. Basically they are cupcakes with the tops scooped out to make room for some raspberry jam. The white icing around the outside adds a little flavor and makes them pretty.

These moist little cakes are incredibly delicious. Orange, almond and raspberry go well together to make a wonderful, easy treat.

Yield: 8 cakes

Runeberg cakes

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Ingredients

Cakes

• ½ cup butter (125 g)
• ⅓ cup sugar (80 g)
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 7 tablespoons cream (100 ml)
• 3 tablespoons orange juice (50 ml)
• ½ cup ground almond (50 g)
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp flour (100 g)
• ½ cup rye cracker crumbs (50 g)
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 7 tablespoons cream (100 ml)
• 3 tablespoons orange juice (50 ml)  

Toppings

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• hot water
• ¼ cup raspberry jam

Instructions

Cakes

1. Grease cup cake pan or place paper molds on a cookie sheet.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until smooth.
3. Blend in egg and egg yolk. 
4. Mix in cream and orange juice.
5. Mix together dry ingredients. Blend into the wet ingredients until just mixed. 
6. Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from muffin tins and cool on a rack.

Finishing

1. If the cakes are in paper cups, remove the paper. Scoop off the tops of the cakes.
2. Fill the indentations with raspberry jam.
3. Add just enough hot water to the powdered sugar to make a thick paste. Put in a pastry bag or use a plastic bag and cut the corner off. Pipe in a thick layer around the raspberry jam.