Whenever I need a quick dessert, I think of this cake with cereal flakes and nuts. It seems suitable when I don't feel like baking or when I only have simple ingredients at home. Sometimes I use corn flakes, other times rice flakes, depending on what I have on hand. I quickly toast the nuts in a pan just enough to release their aroma, but I have to watch them closely so they don't burn, otherwise, they become bitter. I also like that it doesn't need baking, and the pieces hold up well in the fridge.
Quick Info
Total time: 30-40 minutes (including initial cooling)
Preparation: 15-20 minutes
Cooking: 5-7 minutes on the stove (for the butter cream)
Servings: 12-16 pieces, depending on the size of the tray and how you cut them
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe type: Quick dessert, no baking
Ingredients
200-250 g rice flakes or corn flakes (crushed)
1 cup nuts (you can mix walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds) + extra for decoration
250 g butter
1 cup granulated sugar (approx. 180 g)
160 g honey
50 g cocoa
vanilla sugar (1-2 sachets, to taste)
Preparation method
1. Place the nuts in a dry pan over medium heat and stir them for a few minutes until they release their aroma. Don't leave them too long, they can turn bitter. Turn off the heat and let them cool.
2. Crush the flakes in a large bowl. I used a potato masher for this, but you can also do it by hand if you want a more rustic texture.
3. Chop the nuts coarsely. Set aside a few for decoration. Add the rest over the crushed flakes and mix.
4. Prepare the tray. To prevent the cake from sticking, cover the bottom with a thin layer of chopped nuts or crushed flakes. You can skip this step, but I prefer to do it this way; it comes out easier in the end.
5. In a bowl, mix the granulated sugar with the vanilla sugar and cocoa. This helps prevent lumps of cocoa when you add it to the cream.
6. In a saucepan, place the butter cut into pieces and the honey. Put over low heat and stir until the butter is almost completely melted.
7. Add the sugar and cocoa mixture to the butter and honey. Keep on the heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely melted. Don't let it boil too hard, just enough to combine.
8. Pour the hot mixture over the flakes and nuts, directly into the bowl. Mix quickly with a spoon so it doesn't harden and you can spread the mixture in the tray.
9. Pour the warm mixture into the prepared tray and level it with the back of a spoon.
10. Sprinkle the reserved nuts on top or, if you want, a little coconut for decoration.
11. Let it cool well at room temperature, then cut the cake into squares. It can be stored in the fridge.
12. For balls: if you want to make balls too, divide the flake mixture into two bowls before adding the hot chocolate. Use fewer flakes for the ball part to achieve a moister consistency that can be easily shaped. Test by eye, adding flakes if it seems too soft or too hard, then shape balls while the mixture is still malleable.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the simplest no-bake cakes. It’s made from ingredients I usually have at home and I can adapt it based on what I find in the cupboard. It’s great with coffee and keeps well in the fridge for a few days. You don’t even need a mixer or complicated utensils.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don’t toast the nuts too much, they can get bitter quickly. Just a minute or two in a hot pan with constant stirring is enough.
- Mix the cocoa well with the sugar from the beginning; otherwise, lumps will be hard to break up in the cream.
- The corn flakes must be crushed; otherwise, the cake won’t hold together.
- Pour the hot mixture over the flakes; otherwise, it hardens too quickly and you can’t spread it evenly.
Substitutions
- The nuts can be replaced or combined with hazelnuts or almonds, depending on what you have at home.
- Rice flakes and corn flakes work just as well; the texture just differs slightly.
- If you don’t have vanilla sugar, natural vanilla extract works too.
Variations
- For a crunchier cake, use more corn flakes and less nuts.
- If you want it to be moister and less dense, slightly reduce the amount of flakes.
- You can roll the balls in coconut or cocoa, depending on your preference.
Serving ideas
- It can be cut into small squares as a snack with coffee or for lunchboxes.
- The balls are practical for festive platters or for taking on the go.
- The cake is served cold, straight from the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use just one type of flakes?
Yes, you can use only rice flakes or only corn flakes; the final texture is up to your preference.
Why do I need to pour the hot cream over the flakes?
The mixture binds better and spreads easily while it's warm. If you wait for it to cool, you won't be able to spread the cake correctly.
What can I replace the honey with?
If you don't have honey, you can use agave syrup or glucose, but the taste will be different.
How do I prevent the cake from sticking to the tray?
A thin layer of chopped nuts or crushed flakes at the bottom helps with removal. Some just wet the tray, but I recommend the dry layer.
Can I freeze it?
I do not recommend freezing; the texture of the flakes becomes wet, and the cake loses its shape.
Nutritional values (approximate estimate for 1 serving, from 16 pieces)
Calories: ~230 kcal
Fats: 15 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Proteins: 3 g
These are approximate values. The cake contains quite a bit of sugar and butter, but also healthy fats from nuts. If you cut larger portions, the caloric intake increases as well.
Storage and reheating
It keeps in the fridge, in a closed container, for 4-5 days. It is not reheated; it is served cold. If you made balls, you can keep them in the fridge in a box; they don't dry out quickly. The cake is not suitable for freezing; the texture deteriorates.
Quick Info
Total time: 30-40 minutes (including initial cooling)
Preparation: 15-20 minutes
Cooking: 5-7 minutes on the stove (for the butter cream)
Servings: 12-16 pieces, depending on the size of the tray and how you cut them
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe type: Quick dessert, no baking
Ingredients
200-250 g rice flakes or corn flakes (crushed)
1 cup nuts (you can mix walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds) + extra for decoration
250 g butter
1 cup granulated sugar (approx. 180 g)
160 g honey
50 g cocoa
vanilla sugar (1-2 sachets, to taste)
Preparation method
1. Place the nuts in a dry pan over medium heat and stir them for a few minutes until they release their aroma. Don't leave them too long, they can turn bitter. Turn off the heat and let them cool.
2. Crush the flakes in a large bowl. I used a potato masher for this, but you can also do it by hand if you want a more rustic texture.
3. Chop the nuts coarsely. Set aside a few for decoration. Add the rest over the crushed flakes and mix.
4. Prepare the tray. To prevent the cake from sticking, cover the bottom with a thin layer of chopped nuts or crushed flakes. You can skip this step, but I prefer to do it this way; it comes out easier in the end.
5. In a bowl, mix the granulated sugar with the vanilla sugar and cocoa. This helps prevent lumps of cocoa when you add it to the cream.
6. In a saucepan, place the butter cut into pieces and the honey. Put over low heat and stir until the butter is almost completely melted.
7. Add the sugar and cocoa mixture to the butter and honey. Keep on the heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely melted. Don't let it boil too hard, just enough to combine.
8. Pour the hot mixture over the flakes and nuts, directly into the bowl. Mix quickly with a spoon so it doesn't harden and you can spread the mixture in the tray.
9. Pour the warm mixture into the prepared tray and level it with the back of a spoon.
10. Sprinkle the reserved nuts on top or, if you want, a little coconut for decoration.
11. Let it cool well at room temperature, then cut the cake into squares. It can be stored in the fridge.
12. For balls: if you want to make balls too, divide the flake mixture into two bowls before adding the hot chocolate. Use fewer flakes for the ball part to achieve a moister consistency that can be easily shaped. Test by eye, adding flakes if it seems too soft or too hard, then shape balls while the mixture is still malleable.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the simplest no-bake cakes. It’s made from ingredients I usually have at home and I can adapt it based on what I find in the cupboard. It’s great with coffee and keeps well in the fridge for a few days. You don’t even need a mixer or complicated utensils.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don’t toast the nuts too much, they can get bitter quickly. Just a minute or two in a hot pan with constant stirring is enough.
- Mix the cocoa well with the sugar from the beginning; otherwise, lumps will be hard to break up in the cream.
- The corn flakes must be crushed; otherwise, the cake won’t hold together.
- Pour the hot mixture over the flakes; otherwise, it hardens too quickly and you can’t spread it evenly.
Substitutions
- The nuts can be replaced or combined with hazelnuts or almonds, depending on what you have at home.
- Rice flakes and corn flakes work just as well; the texture just differs slightly.
- If you don’t have vanilla sugar, natural vanilla extract works too.
Variations
- For a crunchier cake, use more corn flakes and less nuts.
- If you want it to be moister and less dense, slightly reduce the amount of flakes.
- You can roll the balls in coconut or cocoa, depending on your preference.
Serving ideas
- It can be cut into small squares as a snack with coffee or for lunchboxes.
- The balls are practical for festive platters or for taking on the go.
- The cake is served cold, straight from the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use just one type of flakes?
Yes, you can use only rice flakes or only corn flakes; the final texture is up to your preference.
Why do I need to pour the hot cream over the flakes?
The mixture binds better and spreads easily while it's warm. If you wait for it to cool, you won't be able to spread the cake correctly.
What can I replace the honey with?
If you don't have honey, you can use agave syrup or glucose, but the taste will be different.
How do I prevent the cake from sticking to the tray?
A thin layer of chopped nuts or crushed flakes at the bottom helps with removal. Some just wet the tray, but I recommend the dry layer.
Can I freeze it?
I do not recommend freezing; the texture of the flakes becomes wet, and the cake loses its shape.
Nutritional values (approximate estimate for 1 serving, from 16 pieces)
Calories: ~230 kcal
Fats: 15 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Proteins: 3 g
These are approximate values. The cake contains quite a bit of sugar and butter, but also healthy fats from nuts. If you cut larger portions, the caloric intake increases as well.
Storage and reheating
It keeps in the fridge, in a closed container, for 4-5 days. It is not reheated; it is served cold. If you made balls, you can keep them in the fridge in a box; they don't dry out quickly. The cake is not suitable for freezing; the texture deteriorates.