Vínarterta
Vínarterta, also known as Randalín, is a multi-layered cake made from alternating layers of almond and/or cardamom-flavoured biscuit and plum jam, the jam usually including spices such as cinnamon, vanilla, cloves and cardamom. Other fillings such as apricot and rhubarb are less well known, but traditional going back to the 19th century. Vinarterta originated in Iceland, but its name and composition both hint at Austrian roots. The recipe was brought to Manitoba by Icelandic immigrants to Canada, many of whom settled at New Iceland.
The cake is now better-known in the Icelandic communities in Canada and the United States than it is in Iceland. The modern Icelandic cake differs from the traditional cake, with common substitutions for the plum jam including cream or strawberries. In New Iceland, substitutions for the filling are discouraged.
The cake is typically served in rectangular slices with coffee.
The cake's history was the subject of a dissertation for a doctorate by historian Laurie Bertram at the University of Toronto.
