Few desserts trace a story of migration and adaptation quite like vínarterta, sometimes called Randalín in Icelandic. This layered cake travelled from European roots to become a defining treat in Icelandic communities, both at home and across the Atlantic.
Layers shaped by history and resourcefulness
What most people now think of as vínarterta is a multi-layered confection made from thin sheets of biscuit or shortbread, flavoured with cardamom or almond. Between these layers sits a spiced filling, most traditionally made from dried prunes or plum jam. Vanilla, cloves, and cinnamon might enrich the mixture, giving a subtle warmth that pairs well with strong coffee. The cake is most often served in neat, rectangular slices, appearing at coffee gatherings and especially during Christmas, weddings, and even funerals.
The recipe adapted over generations in response to ingredient shortages and changing tastes. Early Icelandic recipes often describe the cake as round, but rectangular forms became more common later. When rhubarb cultivation spread at the turn of the 20th century, rhubarb jam became a popular filling in Iceland, while prunes remained the standard among emigrant communities. Less common but still traditional fillings include strawberry and apricot. Some versions use a sugar glaze flavoured with spirits like bourbon or vodka, though others avoid alcohol entirely, a practice influenced by the strong temperance movements and early feminist perspectives among some Icelandic women.
Migration and memory
The journey of vínarterta is as layered as the cake itself. Historians suggest that versions of the “Vienna torte” reached Iceland via Denmark in the 19th century, possibly following publication in a Danish cookbook or by way of a Copenhagen baker after 1793. In Vienna, many-layered tortes were already popular, but Icelandic bakers adapted the concept for the far north, relying on dried plums that could survive shipping and storage in an age before regular imports.
When thousands of Icelanders resettled in Manitoba and other parts of North America, particularly New Iceland and regions in the Midwest and Pacific coast, vínarterta joined their luggage as an edible piece of home. Today, the cake is in many ways more central to Icelandic-Canadian and Icelandic-American identity than it is in Iceland itself. Its name appears in Canadian dictionaries and in the works of writers like W.D. Valgardsson and David Arnason, reflecting its honoured place in diaspora households.
While cakes and traditions have changed over time, the connection persists. Vínarterta occupies a special place wherever Icelandic families gather, providing a taste of both heritage and adaptation.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
