As it turns out, finding extra room in a packed carry-on is great practice for finding extra room for dessert. Our Expert Travellers have travelled far and wide to try some of the best cakes around the world, and we’re willing to share a few of our favourites. We’re just sweet like that.
Kürtőskalács
While you’re traversing the castle-lined routes through Transylvania, Hungary, and Austria, be sure to pause along the cobblestones for a tasty bite. Kürtőskalács (otherwise known as chimney cake or spit cake) is purveyed from many a smoky, slow-turning spit in these regions. Roasted dough basted in butter and caramelized sugar is served piping hot and topped with nuts, cinnamon, or chocolate for added measure. Don’t leave room for dinner.
Expert Traveller Tip: “For a taste of history, visit Cafe Sacher while you’re in Vienna and order their sacher-torte. This recipe was created in 1832 and has been passed down for generations as a family secret. It’s actually a written law in Vienna that only this cafe may call this torte the original. ” ~ Shawna Smith of Surrey, B.C.
Basbousa
How do you make life slow down? How do you transform regular days into something special? How do you mark the moments worth noticing? Just add cake.
Basbousa (also called hareeseh, nammoura, or shamali depending on where you eat it) is a typical choice for suhoor and iftar meals during Ramadan in Middle Eastern countries. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to sweeten up a dull, ordinary day. The semolina cake is flavoured with orange flower water and rose water syrup, then topped with almonds. It’s an insatiable craving in the making.
Lapis Legit
Visit Indonesia during holidays like Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Eid, and you’ll be able to treat yourself to a tall slice of lapis legit. This labour-intensive dessert adapted from the Dutch spekkoek is reserved for special occasions for a reason. One thin layer of cardamom-spiced batter is prepared at a time - each sheet oven grilled under a watchful eye, rather than baked. You’ll almost feel bad for gobbling up the whole thing in seconds. Almost.
Cassava Cake
It’s made from vegetables, so it’s healthy, just like carrot cake. Now that you have a perfectly good excuse, you can indulge in this Filipino classic. Grated cassava, coconut milk, condensed milk, and macapuno strings (the soft jelly-like coconut meat often preserved in a saccharine syrup) combine to make a deliciously moist cake - and we haven’t even gotten to the custard topping. Try a slice or two for your merienda or to celebrate a special occasion.
Rum Cake
Do yourself a favour and look beyond the plastic-wrapped rum cakes you’ll find in international airports and resort gift shops. For a true taste of Jamaican rum cake (also known as black cake, fruitcake, Christmas pudding, or wedding cake), you’ll need a stack of plates and a willingness to step off the beaten path.
Seek out a family restaurant nearby and sample their rum cake. Then find another one. And another. Each family recipe is a little bit different, so stopping after just one slice of the rich, aromatic treat will do you a disservice.
Babka
If someone so much as whispers the word “babka” in New York City, hundreds of people will start running to line up. It’s a cake, it’s a loaf, it’s a dessert and breakfast for sweet tooths all in one. Buttery dough is braided like challah with layers of chocolate or cinnamon, baked to a golden hue, then topped with streusel and served warm. For an even wider variety of fillings, look to the Jewish bakeries in Eastern Europe from which New Yorkers imported their recipes. Baked apples, sweet cheeses, and spiced raisins all make a beautiful addition to the addicting snack.
Kransekake
No offence to your legendary seven-layer birthday cake recipe, but the sky-high kransekake (or kransekage) is the real record-breaker. A popular guest at weddings and special occasions in Iceland, Norway, and Denmark, kransekake is a triumphant feat of baking and architecture, boasting at least 18 towering layers of cake rings. The soft and chewy layers are often decorated with a cornucopia of chocolates and other treats or with a bottle of wine slotted in the centre.
Where will you end up if you let your sweet tooth be your guide? Talk to our Expert Travellers to find out! Whether you’re looking for the ultimate vegan vacation, a gourmet cruise, or just plane food that actually tastes good, start your journey by calling 1-855-796-8359 anytime.
