Finnish mocha squares in the air fryer are my version of mokkapalat, the square chocolate cake that is a regular fixture on Finnish coffee tables. The base is a light, airy sponge cake with cocoa and coffee, and on top sits a glossy mocha icing with coloured sprinkles. The cake is baked in a square tin that fits in the basket and is cut into 16 squares afterwards.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
The recipe is easy, but it takes a little patience, because the cake has to be completely cold before the icing goes on. On the plus side, it stays fresh for several days, and it is just as good in a packed lunch as on the birthday table. Here you will find what I learned from the test, the typical mistakes and my best serving suggestions.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love Finnish mocha squares in the air fryer
In Finland, mokkapalat are traditionally baked in a large oven tray, so there is enough for a crowd. In the air fryer, I bake a smaller cake in a tin of approx. 20 x 20 cm instead. It makes 16 squares, and I avoid heating up the big oven for a single cake.
The coffee does two things in this recipe. In the batter it brings out the cocoa, and in the icing it gives the actual mocha flavour. If you want more coffee flavour, you can replace the milk in the batter with the same amount of coffee.
A light sponge cake – not a sticky kladdkaka
Mokkapalat are not a Finnish version of the Swedish kladdkaka. Kladdkaka is baked without a raising agent and is meant to be sticky in the middle. The Finnish cake gets its lift from baking powder and from eggs and sugar whisked until pale and thick, and it is baked all the way through. This gives a light crumb that can carry a thick layer of icing and is easy to cut into neat squares.
My kitchen test of Finnish mocha squares
I tested the cake in my Cosori Dual Blaze, preheated to 160 °C fan. After 25 minutes the toothpick came out clean from the middle. The Dual Blaze has one basket with heating elements both above and below, which shows on a cake in a tin: the base was baked just as evenly as the top.
I kept the air fryer closed for the first 15 minutes so the cake wouldn’t sink, and then turned the tin half a turn to be on the safe side. I cut the baking paper so it only just reached above the edge of the tin. Loose paper can be sucked up against the heating element.
Allow 25 minutes for preparation and 25 minutes in the air fryer. The rest of the 125 minutes in total is cooling: first 10 minutes in the tin, then approx. 50 minutes on a wire rack and finally approx. 15 minutes while the icing sets.
Hold off on the icing until the cake is completely cold. Be quick with the sprinkles, though: scatter them over as soon as the icing is spread out. It sets fast, and then the decoration won’t stick.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake is skimping on the whisking time. Eggs and sugar need to be whisked for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick and fluffy. Then gently fold in the flour and liquid, and stop as soon as the batter is smooth, so the air stays in it.
The second mistake is opening the air fryer too early. Keep it closed for the first 15 minutes, otherwise the cake can sink. If the surface turns dark before the cake is baked through, turn the temperature down to 150 °C and bake a few minutes longer.
The third mistake is impatience with the icing. On a warm cake it melts and runs off, so let the cake cool completely first. If the icing is too stiff to spread, stir in a few drops of coffee or water.
How to serve Finnish mocha squares
Cut the cake into 16 squares with a sharp knife and serve them at room temperature. Here are my best suggestions:
- With a cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea
- With a glass of cold milk for the kids
- On the cake table at a birthday party
- In the packed lunch or on a day out, because the pieces are easy to pack
- With desiccated coconut instead of sprinkles, which is the other classic version
Storage and reheating
The cake stays fresh for 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. It should not be reheated, because the icing will melt. Serve it at room temperature instead. You can also freeze the squares for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw them at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving.
Finnish mocha squares in the air fryer are something you can bake in the morning and serve with the afternoon coffee. Follow the times in the recipe below and give the cake the cooling time it needs. That way you get light, fluffy squares with glossy icing and the taste of cocoa and coffee.
FAQ
Use a square baking tin of approx. 20 x 20 cm that fits in the basket with a little space all the way around. If you have a smaller air fryer, you can use a tin of approx. 18 x 18 cm and bake the cake 3-5 minutes longer, because it will be taller.
Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake after 25 minutes at 160 °C. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If wet batter clings to it, bake it for another 3-5 minutes at 160 °C.
Yes. Desiccated coconut is the other classic decoration on Finnish mocha squares. Sprinkle it over while the icing is still soft. Desiccated coconut is also a good choice if you want to avoid sprinkles with the food colouring carmine (E120).
Recipe
Finnish Mocha Squares in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Square pan - Approx. 20 x 20 cm, must fit in the basket
- 1 Parchment paper - Cut to fit the tin
- 1 Small pot
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 Sifter
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 Toothpick
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Offset spatula
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Sharp knife
Shopping list
Ingredients
Icing and decoration
- 200 g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (Unsweetened)
- 25 g butter
- 3 tbsp strong coffee (Brewed)
- 2 tbsp coloured sprinkles (For decoration)
How to make it
Preparation
- Melt 100 g butter in a small saucepan over a low heat and set it aside until lukewarm. Meanwhile, brew a small cup of strong coffee for both the batter and the icing and let it cool.
- Whisk 2 pcs eggs and 125 g sugar with an electric whisk in a mixing bowl for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick and fluffy.
- Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture with a dough scraper in two or three batches, alternating with the melted butter, 0.5 dl milk and 0.5 dl strong coffee. Stop as soon as the batter is smooth, so the air stays in it.
- Pour the batter into the lined tin and smooth the surface out into the corners.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C fan.
- Place the tin in the basket and bake the cake at 160 °C for 25 minutes. Keep the air fryer closed for the first 15 minutes so the cake does not sink. After that you can turn the tin half a turn if your air fryer bakes unevenly.
- Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If wet batter clings to it, bake for another 3-5 minutes at 160 °C.
Cooling and icing
- Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes. Lift it out using the baking paper, place it on a wire rack and let it cool completely for about 50 minutes. On a warm cake the icing melts and runs off.
- Sift 200 g icing sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa powder into a clean bowl.
- Heat 25 g butter and 3 tbsp strong coffee in the small saucepan over a low heat until the butter has melted.
- Pour the hot coffee mixture over the icing sugar and stir with a spoon until the icing is glossy, thick and spreadable. If it is too stiff, stir in a few drops of coffee or water.
- Spread the icing over the cold cake with a palette knife, right out to the edges.
- Immediately sprinkle 2 tbsp coloured sprinkles over the top while the icing is still soft. It sets quickly.
Serving
- Leave the icing to set for about 15 minutes. Move the cake to a chopping board and cut it into 16 squares with a sharp knife. Serve them at room temperature.
Our notes for the recipe
Whisk the eggs and sugar until really light and fluffy, and gently fold in the flour and liquid. This gives a light sponge cake instead of a dense, sticky cake like the Swedish kladdkaka. Check that the tin fits in the basket before you start: there should be a little space all the way around so the hot air can circulate. If the surface turns dark before the cake is baked through, reduce the temperature to 150 °C and bake a few minutes longer. Hold off on the icing until the cake is completely cold. Variation:
Top with desiccated coconut instead of the sprinkles. This is the other classic version of Finnish mocha squares. If you want more coffee flavour, you can replace the milk in the batter with the same amount of coffee. If the cake needs to be fully vegetarian, choose sprinkles without the food colouring carmine (E120). Serving:
Serve the squares at room temperature with coffee, tea or a glass of cold milk. They are easy to take along and work well for birthdays, cake tables and packed lunches. Serving size:
The cake makes 16 squares, and one serving is 4 pieces. The nutritional values are calculated per serving, i.e. approx. 195 kcal per piece. If you have a smaller air fryer, use a tin of approx. 18 x 18 cm and bake 3-5 minutes longer, because the cake will be taller.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
