Meet Kefírová buchta, a classic Czech sheet cake made with kefir or buttermilk. This simple yet delicious treat is topped with a rich chocolate glaze and sprinkled with shredded coconut. It is a favorite in Czech homes and often the first cake young bakers learn to make—easy, timeless, and always a crowd-pleaser!
➜ About the recipe
This kefir sheet cake is wonderfully moist and fluffy, making it a breeze to whip up in no time. The batter comes together effortlessly by whisking all the ingredients in just one bowl—no fuss, no mess! Once baked, simply let it cool before adding a glossy layer of chocolate glaze. A sprinkle of shredded coconut on top is the perfect finishing touch for this delightful dessert.
➜ Czech pronunciation
This recipe comes from the Czech Republic, where it is known as "Kefírová buchta" or more fondly as "Kefírka." I have recorded a short audio clip to give you an idea of how the recipe sounds in native Czech.
Kefír in Czech means a kind of sour milk/buttermilk.
MY TIP: Try out bublanina, an iconic Czech fruit cake!
➜ Ingredients
For cake batter:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Kefir, optionally buttermilk
- Eggs
- Dutch cocoa powder; unsweetened
- Baking soda; not baking powder
- Oil; sunflower or canola oil
For chocolate glaze:
- Chocolate chips; dark or semi-sweet
- Heavy cream
- Shredded coconut; unsweetened, for sprinkling
Next, you will need about a tablespoon of oil and breadcrumbs to grease and line the baking sheet.
✅ You will find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, which you can also print out.
Quick Instructions:
- Grease a baking sheet with oil and dust it with breadcrumbs.
- Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C).
- In a bowl, combine kefir and oil, then add the eggs, sugar, cocoa, and flour mixed with baking soda.
- Mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- Once the cake has cooled, spread melted chocolate over the top and finish with a sprinkle of shredded coconut.
➜ Detailed instructions with photos
Make ahead: First, prepare a baking sheet. Grease it with a tablespoon of oil and dust it with some breadcrumbs or flour—Preheat the oven to 340 °F (170 °C).
STEP 1: Put the kefir and oil in a bowl. Add an egg, sugar, dutch cocoa, and the flour that you previously mixed with baking soda.
STEP 2: Using a hand mixer, mix everything until you have a smooth, semi-liquid batter.
STEP 3: Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
STEP 4: The exact baking time depends on the baking sheet you use; if it is smaller and the batter layer is higher, it may need to bake a little longer. 4: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. At the end of the baking time, poke a wooden skewer into the dough. If it comes out dry, the buttermilk cake is finished. Otherwise, bake for another 3-5 minutes and repeat the skewer test.
STEP 5: Let the kefir cake cool completely.
STEP 6: Prepare chocolate glaze: In a water bath, melt the chocolate chips (suspend a smaller pot over a larger one with hot water – put the chocolate chips into the smaller one). Add the heavy cream and stir until everything is combined into a smooth chocolate glaze.
STEP 7: Pour the chocolate icing over the cooled cake and spread evenly over the entire surface.
STEP 8: Let sit for a while, and then sprinkle the top with shredded coconut.
➜ Serving
Cut the kefir cake into slices about 3x3 inches (in Czech "řezy") and serve on a dessert plate.
➜ Useful tips
- I baked this cake on a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking sheet.
- Use baking soda in the batter, not baking powder. Baking soda is without the aftertaste that baking powder sometimes leaves. However, you need to put the cake in the oven right away to make it nice and fluffy.
- If you want this cake to be juicier, brush the top with jam before topping with the chocolate glaze.
➜ What does kefir taste like?
Kefir has a tart, tangy taste that is similar to yogurt and can vary depending on the flavor. It can range from mildly sweet to quite sour, with a consistency somewhere between milk and liquid yogurt. It is almost like drinkable yogurt with a lot of probiotics and nutrition than regular milk.
Depending on the recipe, kefir may be slightly carbonated with tiny, tiny bubbles inside. It also has a unique smell that some people describe as pleasant, while others find it somewhat off-putting.
More Czech sweet pastry:
- Kolache – an authentic recipe
- Easy kolacky cookies – fruit filled
- Poppyseed roll – Czech makový závin
- Zucchini spice cake
Tried this recipe?
Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Kefir Sheet Cake – Czech Kefírová buchta
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
Buttermilk batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups kefir (or buttermilk)
- 1 medium egg
- 3 Tablespoons dutch cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup sunflower oil (or canola)
Chocolate glaze:
- 1 cup chocolate chips dark, semi-sweet
- ⅓ cup heavy cream with a fat content of around 30%
Misc.:
- 3 Tablespoons schredded coconut unsweetened; to sprinkle the cake
- ½ Tablespoon solid fat to grease the baking pan
- 1 ½ Tablespoons flour od breadcrumbs to dust the baking pan
Instructions
- Make ahead: First, prepare a baking pan. Grease it with ½ Tablespoon solid fat and dust with 1 ½ Tablespoons flour od breadcrumbs. Preheat the oven to
350 °F. - Put 2 cups kefir and ½ cup sunflower oil in a mixing bowl. Add 1 medium egg, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons dutch cocoa powder, and 2 cups all-purpose flour mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda.
- Using a hand mixer, blend everything until you achieve a smooth, semi-liquid batter.
- Pour the batter onto the prepared baking pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
- The exact baking time depends on the size of the baking pan you use. If the pan is smaller and the batter layer is thicker, it may need to bake a little longer. Place the pan in a preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Toward the end of the baking time, insert a wooden skewer into the cake. If it comes out dry, the cake is done. If not, bake for another 3-5 minutes and repeat the skewer test for doneness.
- Let the kefir cake cool completely.
- Prepare chocolate glaze: Melt 1 cup chocolate chips over a water bath. Add ⅓ cup heavy cream and stir until you have a smooth, combined chocolate glaze.
- Pour the chocolate glaze over the cooled cake and spread it evenly over the entire surface. Let it sit for a while, then sprinkle the top with 3 Tablespoons schredded coconut.
Notes
- SERVING: Cut the kefir cake into 3x3 inch slices (known as "řezy" in Czech) and serve on a dessert plate.
- I baked this cake on a 9x13 inches (23x33 cm) baking pan.
- Use baking soda in the batter instead of baking powder. Baking soda doesn't leave the aftertaste that baking powder sometimes does. However, be sure to put the cake in the oven immediately to ensure it turns out nice and fluffy.
Ria says
I like your tip to add jam, I will try this!
Petra says
Thank you Ria, I hope you will enjoy "kefírová buchta" with the jam! 🙂
Lili Abee says
Made it last nite. Easy to do. I wish the icing wasnt so runny but still worked. I added salt to the mix and to the icing.
Petra Kupská says
Hi Lili, thank you for your comment! I'm glad the cake tasted nice despite the minor setbacks in making it.
Kristyna says
Made this one yesterday. You gotta try it everyone! It was easy, moist, and not overly sweet. One thing LOVE about European desserts is that it's delicious without tasting super sugary. It's a more delicate chocolaty flavor.
Petra Kupská says
Thanks a lot for your nice feedback, I appreciate it so much! 🙂
Déborah says
Hello, I tried that recipe yesterday and it is soooo delicious. I love it ! I discovered your website a couple of weeks ago when I was looking for what piece of meat I needed for svíčková (a friend from Czech Republic gave me the recipe), there are so much recipes I can't wait to try. I'm happy that friend led me to the czech cuisine.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Ahoj Déborah, thank you for your comment and feedback - I appreciate your kind words. Happy to hear the recipe was a success (and czech cuisine in general)!
Greetings from the Czech Republic.
Caddonpog says
Great recipe, easy to make and very light in texture. It’s also a good way to use kefir if you make kefir and struggle to use it. I will definitely make this again, probably with more cocoa powder. 😀
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you for the feedback!