The European love affair with cakes is a tale as old as time – or at least as old as the word ‘cake’, which dates back to the 13th century. From home bakes to fine pâtisserie items, every nation has its own classic confections, many of which are so irresistibly tasty that they've become popular across the globe. To demonstrate just how good the continent's cake selection really is, we’ve rounded up the best of the best.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover Europe’s best cakes – counting down to the most delicious of all.
We’ve based our ranking on the popularity and cultural significance of each cake in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.
This Galician almond cake is decorated with the cross of Santiago – one of the Spanish city's most recognisable symbols. It dates back to the 16th century, when only the rich could afford almonds; however, it became popular with the general population hundreds of years later, in the 20th century, when almonds were more affordable. The first to stencil the cross of Santiago onto this iconic cake was a restaurateur, Jose Mora Soto, who added the flourish in around 1924.
The name may be miserable, but it’s not an indication of how anyone feels about eating it. This Belgian delicacy sees two layers of biscuit Joconde – an airy almond sponge – sandwiched with a French buttercream. The buttercream is made from vanilla sugar syrup and egg yolk, giving it a silky texture that's almost like a set custard. In the 1920s, pâtissier Pierre Gaelens took the cake’s recipe from Brussels to the town of Knokke and started selling his own take on the treat in his bakery. He named it after Les Misérables, the Victor Hugo novel that became a hugely successful musical.
Sticky chocolate cake kladdkaka can be found in IKEA stores around the world, but it’s also surprisingly easy to make at home. A lack of flour in the batter – along with a short baking time – gives it its signature gooeyness. There are two theories as to how kladdkaka was invented. It was either brought to Sweden from Paris in the 1960s, or it accidentally came into being when a woman tried to recreate an American brownie recipe in 1938; she didn’t have access to baking powder, and the result was a denser, stickier cake.
Zuger kirschtorte was invented in 1915 by Heinrich Höhn, a pastry chef who owned a bakery in the Swiss town of Zug. The cake features layers of nut meringue, sponge cake and buttercream, and kirsch (a type of cherry brandy) is used to add a fruity flavour. After Höhn passed his business on to Jacques Treichler, the popularity of the Zuger kirschtorte really began to take off – and it started to attract famous fans, including actors Charlie Chaplin and Audrey Hepburn. Today, there’s even a museum dedicated to this beloved Swiss cake.
The history of the tarta San Marcos stretches back to the 12th century, when it was baked for the Infanta Sancha Raimúndez of León on her visit to the Convent of San Marcos. The Infanta (a title given to a daughter of the monarch) helped to fund the building of the convent, which was dedicated to pilgrims making their way to Santiago. To make the cake, a Génoise sponge is baked, soaked with syrup, then layered with a cocoa cream filling, whipped cream and an egg yolk cream.
Unlike cakes that are simply baked in a tin or mould, šakotis (known as sękacz in Poland and bankukha in Belarus) is a spit cake, made by pouring batter over a rotating spit. As the spit turns, either in an oven or over a fire, more layers are added to build up the cake's distinctive tree shape. A relative of the similar German baumkuchen, it became popular in the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 19th century. In Lithuania, it makes regular appearances at weddings and other special occasions.
Taking centre stage at weddings, Christmas and other special events, the kransekake or kransekage (wreath cake) is a Scandinavian showstopper. To make it, a dough made from ground almonds, sugar and egg whites is baked in special ring-shaped moulds, then stacked to form a tower. Icing is used to decorate the rings, and it's sometimes used to glue them together as they’re stacked. Other decorations such as tinsel or flags might be added to the finished tower, depending on the occasion.
With its bright green dome, the princesstårta (princess cake) is one of the most eye-catching cakes around. Underneath the colourful layer of marzipan, you’ll find layers of sponge and pastry cream topped with whipped cream. The cake’s origins can be traced to the 19th century; however, princesstårta as we know it today made its first appearance in Prinsessornas kokbok (The Princesses’ Cookbook) in 1948. The book was compiled by home economics teacher Jenny Åkerström, whose students included Swedish princesses Margaretha, Märtha and Astrid.
The bûche de Noël is an impressive Christmas centrepiece. Inspired by the traditional Yule log, which was burnt in countries throughout Europe in winter as a symbol of light (and even used to predict the future), the cake probably comes from France; the story goes that a Parisian pastry maker first put it together in the 1870s. Made by filling a thin sponge with cream, then rolling it up and decorating it to look like a log, it’s traditionally flavoured with chocolate. However, these days you can get your hands on plenty of twists on the classic recipe, including salted caramel, chestnut, coffee and rose-flavoured confections.
Lots of layers characterise this Hungarian cake, which is filled with chocolate buttercream and topped with a shiny layer of caramel. The Dobos torte is named after József C. Dobos, the chef who invented it in the 1880s; he took it to the National General Exhibition of Budapest in 1885, where Emperor Franz Josef I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary were among the first to try it. It soon became popular not just in Hungary, but throughout Europe. The traditional cake should have five sponge layers, all baked individually instead of being cut from larger cakes.
Walnut sponge cake and a creamy chocolate filling are layered to create this indulgent Serbian cake. It’s believed to have been invented during a period of Communist reform after World War II, when ingredients were plentiful, and people could afford to use things like eggs, sugar and chocolate to make desserts. Lots of egg whites are used to make the nutty sponge and the fluffy filling, resulting in a cake that’s sweet and rich but still melts in the mouth.
A cake whose origins can be traced back to the 16th century French court, the fraisier is best made at the height of strawberry season, when the fruits are at their most delicious. The fresh berries make an attractive cake decoration; they're usually cut in half, then placed cut-side out in a ring, held in place by crème pâtissière or crème mousseline. The cake is topped and bottomed with two layers of airy Génoise sponge, and it's often finished off with more strawberries and a dusting of icing sugar.
Walk into any of Romania’s traditional cofetarii (sweet shops) and you’re sure to spot these little layered chocolate cakes. Amandine are a chocoholic’s dream; chocolate sponge is soaked in a rum syrup, layered with chocolate buttercream, then the whole thing is glazed with yet more chocolate. A swirl of chocolate cream and a thin piece of chocolate continue the theme. Popular since the 1960s, they’re a must-try in Romania.
Also known as Irish tea cake, barmbrack is a bake that's traditionally enjoyed on special occasions – in particular, Halloween. In the old days, it was often leavened with yeast, making it more bread-like; however, the fruit cake is usually made with baking powder these days. It’s packed full of dried fruit, and flavoured with black tea and warming spices (such as cinnamon and nutmeg), making it perfect for dark Irish autumns and winters. Traditionally, charms were added to barmbrack before baking, and if you found one in your slice, it was said to predict your fortune.
Rich and chocolatey, this classic Hungarian cake has a love story behind it. It’s named after Hungarian Romani violinist Rigó Jancsi, in honour of his romance with American socialite Clara Ward. The pair met while Ward was married to a Belgian aristocrat, and they soon eloped. Featuring layers of chocolate sponge and plenty of chocolate cream (which might be flavoured with rum or vanilla), the cake is finished with a thin layer of apricot jam and a glossy dark chocolate fondant glaze.
Spicy, fruity and finished off with a crown of blanched almonds, Dundee cake is a Scottish favourite. Though it's often baked around Christmas, it’s a tasty treat at any time of year, especially when paired with a good cup of tea or coffee. It’s also lighter and less dense than a Christmas cake, and it's traditionally filled with juicy fruits ranging from currants and sultanas to sweet glacé cherries, as well as fruit peel. Dundee cake was first mass-produced by the makers of Keiller’s marmalade, which claims to have given the cake its name.
Not from the Portuguese islands of Madeira but from England, Madeira cake still gets its name from the place in a roundabout way. This simple cake was traditionally enjoyed alongside a glass of sweet Madeira wine, a type of fortified wine that's often served with dessert. The basic recipe is nothing fancy, featuring just butter, sugar, eggs and flour (and sometimes lemon rind for a hint of citrus) – proving that the simplest things are often the best.
Instead of flour, this unique cake makes use of a classic Greek ingredient: filo pastry. The pastry is crumbled and added to oil, eggs and sugar to form a batter, which is then baked and covered with a cinnamon-orange syrup while still hot. After cooling, the zesty and moist cake is best enjoyed with a cup of coffee – or with a big scoop of ice cream on the side.
Bienenstich may translate into English as 'bee sting' – but, happily, this bake is entirely bee-free. The curious name of this yeasted cake, which comes filled with vanilla custard or cream, is a bit of a mystery. However, one story goes that two baker’s apprentices threw a bee’s nest at approaching attackers from a neighbouring town, and the cake was baked in celebration. Before the dough is baked, a mix of honey (or sometimes sugar), fat, cream and almonds is spread in the pan; as it cooks, it becomes a crunchy topping.
Kvæfjordkake is so loved by Norwegians that it’s often called ‘verdens beste kake’ (the world’s best cake). It's an indulgent mix of vanilla sponge, meringue, whipped cream and custard, all topped with flaked almonds. The cake was created in the 1930s at a café in Harstad, which was run by two sisters from Kvæfjord. It came from a Danish recipe, modified to reduce the quantity of almonds needed to make it more affordable.
Inspired by Jamaican flavours and invented in the UK, this dark and sticky spiced cake is most famously manufactured by the British brand McVitie’s. However, the cake’s history began long before it was sold commercially. Ginger, cane sugar and molasses were brought to the UK from Jamaica from the 16th century onwards, giving British bakers access to new ingredients. Ginger was first used medicinally, but everyone soon realised just how good it could taste in a cake.
The many layers of this Russian honey cake might take time to put together, but it’s more than worth the effort. Supposedly invented in the 19th century (but possibly not until much later), the story goes that the cake was baked for Empress Elizabeth, wife of Alexander I, by a baker who was unaware that she wasn’t a fan of honey. Fortunately, she had no idea what was in it, and the cake – with its layers of honey-flavoured sponge and sweetened sour cream – was a hit.
Introduced to many outside the UK by baking show The Great British Bake Off, the Battenberg is instantly recognisable to most Brits. Its pink and yellow checked pattern is nothing short of iconic – and the flavours of the apricot jam (used to join the sections of Génoise sponge together) and the marzipan coating provide an instant hit of nostalgia. The cake is said to have been invented to celebrate the 1884 wedding of Prince Louis of Battenberg to Princess Victoria, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Though it typically features four coloured squares today, the cake had as many as 25 in some older recipes.
Refined Sachertorte, which often has its name piped across the top, apparently came about through a lucky series of events. It’s claimed that in 1832, the head chef for the Austrian State Chancellor Prince Metternich fell ill, leaving his 16-year-old apprentice Franz Sacher to come up with a cake fit to impress the Chancellor and his guests. The ingenious youngster created a confection of rich chocolate sponge layered with apricot jam and finished with a shining mirror glaze. The bake not only impressed the party it was intended for, but it soon garnered a legion of fans.
Layers of almond sponge are soaked in coffee syrup, chocolate ganache and buttercream flavoured with coffee or orange liqueur, then blanketed in a smooth chocolate glaze to create France's famous opera cake. This elaborate cake is an essential in any French pâtisserie, and its exquisite layers are said to represent the levels of an opera house. It’s unclear how old it is – it may have been invented in the late 19th century or as recently as 1960, according to competing theories – but there’s no denying that it’s a classic.
Despite its name, the Swiss roll likely didn’t originate in Switzerland, but possibly has its roots somewhere else in Central Europe. One theory suggests that it could even have been invented in England. We may not know exactly where it’s from, but we do know it’s delicious – and very versatile. Traditional versions feature a filling of jam and whipped cream, but nowadays you can get your hands on everything from chocolate and caramel Swiss rolls to bakes filled with exotic fruits.
This lemony delight is a favourite for afternoon tea, pairing especially well with bergamot-flavoured Earl Grey for an extra citrus kick. A play on the classic pound cake, made by mixing equal weights of each ingredient, it sees a sponge flavoured with both lemon juice and zest, and drizzled with a sticky lemon syrup for plenty of punch. The version we know today was published by food writer Evelyn Rose, who shared the method for ‘luscious lemon cake’ in her 1967 recipe collection.
Some food historians trace carrot cake back to the carrot puddings of the Middle Ages, while recipes resembling the modern cake first appeared in 19th-century France and Switzerland. In the UK, its popularity grew during World War II, when sugar was rationed and carrots could be used to lend sweetness to all sorts of bakes. Wherever it’s from, a good carrot cake should be deliciously moist and layered with cream cheese icing.
Otherwise known as Black Forest gâteau, Schwarzwälder kirschtorte is arguably Germany’s most famous cake. Named for the cherry brandy kirschwasser (or just kirsch), which lends its distinctive sour cherry flavour to the cake, as well as the Black Forest region of Germany, it’s a cake you’ll find in bakeries and on café and restaurant menus everywhere. It’s believed that the cake, which also features chocolate sponge, whipped cream, maraschino cherries and chocolate shavings, might have been invented in the 1930s, but an earlier claim dates its creation to 1915.
Beautiful in its simplicity, the Victoria sponge is often the home baker’s very first cake. Featuring two layers of vanilla sponge, typically made with equal parts flour, eggs, sugar and butter, it’s traditionally sandwiched with strawberry or raspberry jam (although cream or buttercream are commonly added, too), and it comes dusted with icing sugar. Named after Queen Victoria, and thought to have been her favourite cake, it was potentially first made for children in the royal nursery before becoming a teatime treat for adults.
Cacao hails from South America and chocolate cakes can be found the world over, but their origins lie in Europe. Many were made possible with chocolatier Coenraad van Houten's 1828 invention of Dutch process chocolate – a powdered form that could be used for baking – in the Netherlands. The first commercial baking powder was invented by Alfred Bird in England in 1843 and, in the 1890s, German pharmacist Dr Oetker began marketing baking powder to the domestic market. These developments helped to lead to the invention of the contemporary chocolate cakes we know and love today.