A Lithuanian Chocolate Fridge Cake is nothing short of delicious! Chocolate, condensed milk and lots of crumbly biscuits make a delicious effortless dessert that requires no baking and can be then kept in the fridge for up to a week!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!
Why Try Chocolate Fridge Cake?
Chocolate Fridge Cake has gained popularity in the UK ever since the claims in the media that it is the Queen’s favourite cake! I was surprised to see the recipe as it reminded me very much of the Lithuanian Tinginys recipe, which is one of the most popular treats made in Lithuania. Rightly so, it is extremely easy to make, requires no baking and is often made by children as their first cooking experience.
You may have heard of other types of fridge cake, including Chocolate Salami or a No-Bake Chocolate Biscuit Cake. Essentially, Chocolate Fridge Cake is popular around the world under different names, and for a good reason! Sweet, easy to make, budget-friendly and made with widely available ingredients!
Tinginys: The King of Lithuanian Cakes
The Lithuanian word tinginys translates ‘lazy bones’ or ‘lazy man, or in this case, ‘lazy cake’. The name reflects the ease with which this delicious treat is made. One large pan, a bit of mixing, fridge for a few hours and enjoy for days! Both inexperienced cooks and very lazy people can make it!
A distinctive feature of this Lithuanian cake is that it is a condensed milk-based fridge cake, that uses broken up biscuits. It requires no baking, but will ask for some patience whilst it chills in the fridge!
The Lithuanian Chocolate Fridge Cake is made with a mixture of butter, condensed milk and chocolate (or cocoa powder) with lots of biscuits crumbled in and then set in the fridge. It is rich, sweet and reminds me of a Tiffin, minus the dried fruit and marshmallow, but some family recipes in Lithuania call for some raisins and nuts, others use a couple of tablespoons of brandy, yet others use caramel instead of condensed milk.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Five simple ingredients = One delicious No-Bake Chocolate Fridge Cake = Happy Friends and Happy Family! You will need:
- 200 g unsalted butter: butter is unsubstitutable in this recipe. Together with chocolate, it is what sets/ solidifies the ‘chocolate salami’ in the fridge.
- 50 g dark chocolate: can be substituted with milk chocolate, but note that it is an already sweet dessert, and milk chocolate will make it even sweeter.
- 400 g sweetened condensed milk: one tin. In the UK, condensed milk normally comes in tins of 397g (I always wonder why?) and it’s perfectly fine – 3 g won’t change anything.
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder: unsweetened!
- 400 g biscuits: digestive or rich tea biscuits work well in this recipe. We have also tried making this Lithuanian cake with Nice Biscuits (that add a lovely coconutty aftertaste) and even shortbread (which crumbles a lot more than other biscuits but is still delicious). Traditionally, this cake is made with Gaidelis biscuits, which you can get online.
How to Make Lithuanian Chocolate Fridge Cake?
Break the biscuits into rough pieces and set them aside for later.
In a large pan, add butter, condensed milk, chocolate and cocoa powder. Put it on low heat and stir continuously. Warm until everything has melted and you have a smooth mixture.
Take the mixture off the heat and mix in all the crushed biscuits. Don’t worry if some of them turn into mush when mixing, just make sure all the biscuits are covered in chocolate mixture.
Line a flat-bottomed tin with baking parchment (we use a large loaf tin, but any tin will do). Tip the cake mixture into it and press down firmly, so there are no air pockets. Place another piece of baking parchment on top and weigh the cake down with something healthy, like another tin with some bottles stacked on top.
Place the chocolate the no-bake chocolate biscuit cake in the fridge and chill for 6 hours before slicing it into pieces.
Other Chocolate Desserts and Cakes
If you love chocolate cakes and desserts, have a look at our favourites below:
- Lavender-Scented Chocolate Souffle | A Recipe that Never Failed Me
- Gluten-Free Chocolate & Pear Almond Cake
- Chocolate & Orange Date Bars | A Raw, Vegan & Gluten-Free Snack
Other Lithuanian Cakes
If you are interested in what people in Lithuania enjoy for dessert, have a look at some of our recipes below.
Lithuanian Chocolate Fridge Cake | Tinginys
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 50 g dark chocolate
- 400 g sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 400 g rich tea or digestive biscuits or a mixture
Instructions
- Break the biscuits into rough pieces and set them aside for later.
- In a large pan, add butter, condensed milk, chocolate and cocoa powder. Put it on low heat and stirring continuously, warm until everything has melted and you have a smooth combined mixture.
- Take the mixture off the heat and mix in all the crushed biscuits. Don’t worry if some of them turn into mush when mixing, just make sure all the biscuits are covered in chocolate mixture.
- Line a large flat-bottomed tin with baking parchment. Tip the cake mixture into it and press down firmly, so there are no air pockets. Place another piece of baking parchment on top and weigh the cake down with something healthy, like another tin with some tins stacked on top.
- Place the chocolate cake in the fridge and chill for 6 hours before slicing it into pieces.
Nutrition
Can Graham crackers be used ?
Hi, Kay. I haven’t used Graham crackers myself, but just doing quick research online shows that they’re the best substitute for digestive biscuits. However, because Graham crackers have a crunchier texture, they may not soften as much when mixed with the chocolate/condensed milk, so I would probably advise crushing them in slightly smaller bits. Hope this helps! Let me know how it turns out if you make it with Graham crackers! 🙂
This is seriously amazing! A whole batch isn’t enough for my family!
Same here! I make a whole loaf tin worth and it only lasts 3 days (if that!) between the two of us..🤫
Since this has condensed milk, I know hubby is going to love it. I need to make 2 Easter desserts. One lemon and one chocolate. Printing this out now.
This is perfect for Easter since you can make it in advance! We might be making one for Easter too! 🙂
This looks so good! I’ve never had a recipe quite like this before, and I’m eager to try it. I mean, it’s chocolate, and it’s filled with digestive biscuits. I’m in!
Thanks, Beth! Yeah, you simply cannot go wrong with chocolate and digestive biscuits! Not to mention a whole tin of condensed milk! 🙂
This cake is so tasty and I love how pretty it is!
Thanks! 😍