Čupavci

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Čupavci are traditional Croatian cakes that are also popular in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and throughout the Balkans under different names. They consist of a sponge cake that is dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with finely desiccated coconut. Čupavci are extremely popular due to their climate suitability as they don't dry out when cut into bite-sized squares and covered in coconut. A very similar cake can also be found in Australia and New Zealand in many supermarkets, cafés, and bakeries, and it's known as lamington, but this variety is often made with a layer of fruit jam, unlike its European counterpart. In Croatia, čupavci are a Christmas staple. In Slovakia, the cake is called kokosové ježe , in Poland it's known as kostka kokosowa , while the Hungarian name is kókuszkocka .