Finnish Blueberry Mini Cakes (Mustikkaleivos)
These delightful Finnish blueberry mini cakes are light, fruity, and beautifully layered. Fluffy sponge cake is soaked with a sweet blueberry puree, filled with a creamy lemon-curd cream, and dotted with blueberries between the layers. Finished with piped whipped cream, fresh blueberries, and a glossy glaze, these elegant mini cakes are a true Nordic treat perfect for family gatherings, holidays, or coffee time.
Ingredients
Cake Base
- 2 dl (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) sugar
- 1.5 dl (½ cup + 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 0.5 dl (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) potato starch
- 2-3 eggs, (about 2 dl or ¾ cup when measured)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla sugar or ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp grated lemon zest
For greasing the pan:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 0.5 dl (about 3 tbsp) breadcrumbs
Blueberry Soak
- 3 dl (1 ¼ cups) blueberries
- 1 tbsp sugar
Filling
- 2 dl (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) lemon curd
- 2 dl (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) heavy cream
- 2 dl (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) blueberries
Decoration
- 4 dl (1 ⅔ cups) heavy cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- 6 dl (2 ½ cups) blueberries
Glaze
- 2 dl (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) water
- 1 dl (½ cup gelling sugar (also called jelly sugar or vegetable-based gelling sugar)
Instructions
Cake Base
- Grease a square or rectangular cake pan and coat with breadcrumbs. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Whisk the room-temperature eggs and sugar into a thick, pale foam.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, potato starch, baking powder, vanilla sugar, and lemon zest. Sift into the egg-sugar foam and fold gently to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Test with a toothpick: if it comes out clean, the cake is done. Let cool completely.
- Cut the cooled cake into three even layers, then cut into small rectangles (about 6 × 4 cm), yielding 12 mini cakes.
Blueberry Soak
- Puree the blueberries and sugar into a smooth mixture. Use about 2 tsp to soak the bottom and middle cake layers.
Filling
- Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold in the lemon curd. Spread generously between the layers of each mini cake and scatter a few blueberries inside for a juicy bite.
Assembly
- Place the final cake layer on top, baked side up.
- Whip the cream and sugar for decoration, and transfer to a piping bag. Pipe neatly around the edges of each cake.
- Top each mini cake with fresh blueberries.
Glaze
- Make the glaze according to package instructions, or:
- Bring 2 dl water to a boil. Add 1 dl gelling sugar and let it boil briefly.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly before spooning over the blueberries. ⚠️ If too warm, the glaze will melt the whipped cream.
- Chill the mini cakes before serving.
Notes
This recipe yields approximately 12 mini cakes, depending on the size you cut them.
You can also use frozen blueberries for the topping: place them on the cakes straight from the freezer and spoon the hot glaze on top. This helps the berries keep their fresh look.
Best served chilled with coffee or tea. Enjoy them on the same day, as they don’t stay fresh for long.