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5.0 from 3 votes

Hjónabandssaela (Wedded Bliss)

Hjónabandssaela or wedded bliss is a delicious traditional cake from Iceland made with rhubarb jam, oatmeal and spelt flour.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 627 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Icelandic

Ingredients

For the hjónabandssaela (wedded bliss)
  • 2 cups white spelt flour
  • 2 cups oatmeal
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter , diced
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 5 oz. rhubarb jam (recipe below)
  • 1 egg yolk (for glaze)
For the rhubarb jam
  • 2 lb rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
  • 3 cups sugar
  • Juice of orange
  • 6 tablespoons agave syrup
  • 2 Vanilla Beans , split lengthwise
  • water

Instructions

Hjónabandssaela (Wedded Bliss)
    Cup of Yum
  1. Take the butter out of the refrigerator, cut into small cubes and keep it at room temperature for 30 minutes so that it softens.
  2. Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Grease and flour a cake pan.
  3. In a large container, mix the flour, oats, baking soda, and sugar. Place the butter on top.
  4. Mix everything together quickly with the palms of both hands and with your fingertips, and rub the dough to turn in into a powder. Transfer the dough in the bowl of your stand mixer and mix using the flat beater at medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Knead the dough for 1 minute at maximum speed.
  5. Roll ⅔ of the dough and spread it at the bottom of the mold. Cover with rhubarb jam. Roll the remaining dough and cut into strips. Place these strips to form a lattice on the cake. Brush the lattice with egg yolk.
  6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The crust should be golden.
Rhubarb jam
  1. Boil small glass jars for a few minutes. Turn them over and place them on paper towel.
  2. Add the rhubarb and sugar in a saucepan. Barely cover with water.
  3. Mix well and macerate for 1 hour at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
  4. Turn the heat to high and add the split vanilla, orange juice and agave syrup.
  5. Bring to a boil, then cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Return to low heat and simmer the jam for 50 minutes stirring regularly. The jam is ready when the rhubarb turns golden.
  6. Pour the hot jam into the jars with the vanilla beans. Let cool.
  7. Close the jars, turn them over and let stand for 8 hours.
  8. Turn them back over and keep at room temperature. Store in the fridge after opening.