Hjónabandssæla, or ‘happy marriage cake” or “wedded bliss cake” or “marital bliss cake” or “blissful marriage cake”… you get the idea, is simply an oatmeal jam cake or bars or even a crumble. The first mention of the cake is from 1950. It’s a grandchild of the Austrian Linzertorte via Denmark, of course. “Fun” fact, we hope, what is generally called “danish” is called “Vienna bread” here and in Denmark.

The story of the name goes that it’s simple and cheap for the newlywed bride to make her husband the day after. We don’t know.

Please enjoy the video.

Ingredients

• 240gr (3 cups) flour
• 300gr (2 ½ cups) oats
• 280gr (2 cups)  brown sugar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 350g butter (1 ½ cup melted)
• 1 egg
• Rhubarb jam to taste
• Touch of salt

Method:

1. Start by gently melting the butter.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients. 
3. Add the melted butter and egg then combine well. 
4. Take ⅔ of the ‘dough’ and press into a tin of choice. Round, square… octagonal and press it in. Just about half a cm thickness (¼ inch).
5. Cover the base with rhubarb jam to taste.
6. Crumble the rest over.
7. Stick in the oven at 180c (356f) for 7-8 minutes.

Serve warm or cold. When cold, it firms up like a flapjack.  

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