Norwegian Success Cake with Almond and Chocolate Layers

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-07 · Updated 2026-05-07

A layered Norwegian success cake featuring almond sponge, rich chocolate ganache, and a smooth buttercream, perfect for festive occasions. This Norwegian-inspired recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, layers unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup, softened unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 6 large, separated eggs
• 1 1/2 cups ground almonds
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 oz, chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

The bakeware we’d bake this in → Best Bakeware Sets in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 8-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Step 2: Add 6 egg yolks one at a time into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
3. Step 3: Fold in 1 1/2 cups ground almonds and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour gently until combined.
4. Step 4: In a separate clean bowl, beat 6 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the almond batter in three additions, preserving the airiness.
5. Step 5: Divide batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
6. Step 6: To make chocolate ganache, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a saucepan until just simmering. Pour over 6 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate in a bowl and let sit 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
7. Step 7: For buttercream, beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
8. Step 8: To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, spread half the buttercream, then half the ganache. Top with second cake layer and repeat layers of buttercream and ganache on top.
9. Step 9: Chill cake for at least 2 hours before serving to set the ganache.