Ston Cake (Stonska Torta)

Ston Cake (Stonska Torta) is a unique and intriguing Croatian dessert that comes from the small coastal town of Ston, near Dubrovnik. Beneath its rustic crust lies an unexpected yet deeply satisfying filling made with tube-shaped pasta, nuts, dark chocolate, butter, eggs, and warm aromatics like citrus zest and cinnamon. It’s an unusual combination at first glance, but one that comes together into a rich, custardy, almost bread-pudding-like cake.

Hey folks – I hope you’re doing well!

When you are reading this post, Andrew and I are probably on the way to our vacation destination – the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg. Or perhaps we are already enjoying tulips, cheese, and chocolate. And apparently, celebrating my birthday, too :)

Instead of my usual birthday-adjacent dulce de leche recipes, this year I felt like revisiting a dessert inspired by Croatia, a country we travelled through last spring. Ston Cake had been on my list ever since we passed through the town of Ston itself, even though we didn’t manage to try the cake there. So, naturally, I had to make it at home. Let’s dive into this Ston Cake (Stonska Torta), a traditional Croatian Pasta Cake with Nuts.

Ston Cake (Stonska Torta) – Croatian Pasta Cake with Nuts

As I mentioned earlier, this cake originated from small town/village Ston / Ston Mali, the Dubrovnik area. You can see a few photos of the town (and many cats!) in this post. When we were passing by Ston, it was an early morning, and we did not have a chance to try this famous cake. Still, I was super intrigued to give it a try, and here we go. For this recipe, I researched several sources but was mostly inspired by Ston Pasta Cake, The Most Famous Dubrovnik Dessert: Ston Cake – Go Dubrovnik, and Stonska torta: Dubrovnik’s famous pasta cake | SBS Food.

It is a pasta cake, so it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you love unexpected dessert combinations, you should try this Croatian dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Ston Cake

• Unexpected but balanced. Sweet pasta might sound unusual, but here it becomes soft, custardy, and comforting.
• Rich and aromatic. Nuts, dark chocolate, citrus zest, cinnamon, and a touch of rum create deep, layered flavour.
• Traditionally rustic. This is not a fussy dessert — its charm lies in its simplicity and old-world character.
• A true conversation piece. Perfect for anyone who enjoys exploring lesser-known European desserts.

Flavour and Texture Profile

Stonska Torta is rich, buttery, and gently spiced, with a soft, cohesive texture rather than distinct layers. The cooked pasta absorbs the egg-and-butter mixture, turning tender and custard-like. Nuts add structure and depth, while dark chocolate brings a subtle bitterness that balances the sweetness. The overall effect is reminiscent of a baked pudding or dense cake, wrapped in a simple, unsweetened pastry crust.

Of course, like with other recipes, Ston Cake has many variations, including the way to make a crust and flavourings for the filling. I opted for the one with an addition of rum.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Ston Cake

For Ston Cake (Stonska Torta), you’ll need a handful of pantry staples combined in an unconventional way.

Pastry

• Eggs: Whole eggs that bind the dough and give it structure.
• Flour: All-purpose flour forms a simple, rustic pastry shell.
• Olive oil: Adds tenderness and subtle flavour to the dough.
• Apple cider vinegar: Helps relax the gluten and makes the pastry easier to roll.
• Salt: Just a pinch to balance the flavours.
• Cold water: Added only if needed to bring the dough together.
• Oil and flour: For greasing and dusting the baking pan.
• Butter: Melted, for brushing the pastry before baking.
• Icing sugar: Optional, for dusting the finished cake.

Filling

• Tubed pasta: Ziti, rigatoni, or penne work best, cooked just to al dente.
• Dark rum: Adds depth and warmth to the filling.
• Sugar: Granulated or light brown, divided between the nut mixture and egg mixture.
• Eggs: Lightly beaten to create a custardy texture.
• Butter: Cut into small pieces so it melts evenly between layers.
• Dark chocolate: Finely grated for richness and balance.
• Walnuts: Finely ground, forming the backbone of the filling.
• Almond meal: Adds softness and nutty depth.
• Salt: Optional, traditionally omitted but helpful for balance.
• Vanilla extract: Enhances the sweetness and aroma.
• Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice.
• Lemon zest: Brightens the rich filling.

How to Make Ston Cake (Stonska Torta)

Pastry

Whisk the eggs, olive oil, and vinegar in a small bowl. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then make a well in the centre and pour in the egg mixture. Stir until combined, then knead gently for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding a little cold water only if needed. Cover and let the dough rest while you prepare the filling.

Filling Preparation

Cook the pasta in boiling unsalted water until just al dente, then drain well and stir in the rum. Set aside to cool.
In one bowl, combine most of the sugar with the grated chocolate, ground walnuts, almond meal, cinnamon, and optional salt.
In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the remaining sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until foamy.

Assembly and Baking

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Lightly oil and flour the baking pan. If using a springform pan, secure the bottom with foil to prevent butter leakage.

Roll the rested dough on a lightly floured surface into a large circle (about 35 cm for a 20-cm pan), then carefully line the pan, allowing the dough to hang over the sides.

Sprinkle a generous layer of the nut mixture on the bottom, scatter some butter pieces, and top with a single layer of pasta. Add more nut mixture, butter, and about ½ cup of the egg mixture. Repeat the layering process, gently pressing down as you go, until all filling is used. Finish by pouring the remaining egg mixture evenly over the top.

Fold the overhanging pastry over the filling, pressing gently to remove air pockets. Brush the surface with melted butter and bake for 45–50 minutes, until golden.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan, then turn it out onto a serving plate so the bottom becomes the top. Dust with icing sugar if desired, slice, and enjoy.

More Croatian Recipes

And be sure to check more Croatian-inspired recipes:

• Croatian Braised Beef (Pašticada)
• Šporki Makaruli (Dirty Macaroni)
• Pasta with Black Truffle Sauce
• Ajvar – Balkan Pepper Spread

I hope you like this traditional Croatian pasta cake, and you will give this recipe a try shortly. If you make it, please let me know in this post, send me an Instagram message, or share your photos adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers and see soon!

Ston Cake (Stonska Torta)

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

Ston Cake (Stonska Torta) is a traditional Croatian pasta cake with nuts, chocolate, citrus, and spices, wrapped in a rustic pastry crust.

Course: Sweet BakesCuisine: Croatian

5.0 from 1 vote

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Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Pastry and resting

1

hour

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• Pastry:

• 2 eggs

• 400 gr. (2 1/2 cups) flour

• 100 ml. (2/5 cup) olive oil

• 1 tbsp. (15 ml.) apple cider vinegar

• pinch of salt

• cold water if needed

• a bit of oil and flour, for baking pan

• 1 tbsp. butter, melted, for pastry brushing

• icing sugar, optional, for dusting the cake

• Filling:

• 500 gr. tubed-pasta like ziti, rigatoni, or penne

• 2 tbsp. (30 ml.) dark rum

• 250 gr. (1 1/4 cups) sugar, granulated or light-brown, divided

• 6 eggs

• 250 gr. (ab. 1 cup) butter, into small pieces

• 100 gr. dark chocolate, finely grated

• 200 gr. (ab. 1 3/4 cups) walnuts, finely ground

• 100 gr. (1 cup) finely ground almonds / meal

• a pinch of salt (optional, authentic recipes seem not to add any salt)

• 1 tbsp. (13 gr.) vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp. (7-8 gr.) cinnamon

• grated zest of 1 large lemon
  

• Equipment:

• 20-cm (8-inch) deep (at least 6-8 cm / 2.5-3 inch deep) baking pan or ~26-cm (10-inch), if you do not have deep. Both regular or springform tin would work, but springform is more convenient.

Directions

• Pastry:
• In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, vinegar, and oil. 
• Sift the flour and salt to a large bowl, make a well in the center, and pour the egg mixture in the middle. Stir until combined.
• Knead the dough lightly for a few minutes until it is smooth and elastic, you may also need to add a little of water if the pastry does not go together (I ended up adding about 2 tbsp.)Do not overwork – kneading for about 5 minutes should be enough. Cover and set aside to rest while you make the filling.
• Filling Prep:
• In a meantime, cook the pasta in boiling unsalted water as instructed on package until it’s al dente (or even a few seconds less.) Drain well then stir in the rum. Set aside to cool.
• In a separate bowl, combine 200 gr. (1 cup) of sugar, chocolate, ground walnuts, almond meal, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt (optional).
• In another small bowl, lightly beat the beat the eggs with the remaining 50 gr. of sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest, until foamy.
• Assembly and Baking:
• Preheat the oven to 180C (360F). Slightly grease the baking pan with oil and dust with flour. If you are using a springform tin, I would suggest securing the bottom with foil to prevent any butter leakage.
• On lightly dusted surface, roll the pastry into a circle big enough to fit into the base of the prepared tin, up the sides letting the extra dough hang over the sides of the pan; for example, for a 20-cm pan, it should be a 35-cm circle.
• Carefully lift the rolled pastry into the prepared tin; gently press into the sides.
• Generously sprinkle the nut filling as the first layer. Scatter some butter.
• Place a single layer of cooked pasta over the top, then sprinkle over more of the nut mixture. Dot with slices of butter. Pour 1/2 cup of egg mixture.
• Repeat this process with the remaining pasta, nut mixture and butter, gently pressing down as you go. When you get to the top, evenly pour the remaining egg mixture over the filling.
• Note: The number of layers will depend on your baking dish. I had 3 layers of pasta, nuts, and butter each and 2 – egg mixture (you can totally do 3 layers of eggs, too). There is no particularly strict order, after all, as long as the layers are relatively even, it will turn great!
• Gather the overhanging pastry over the filling. Press the pastry down and try to press out any air pockets you may hear squishing in there.
• Brush the surface of the dough with the melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 min or until nicely golden.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin before removing from it.
• When cooled, turn it onto a serving plate so that the part that was at the bottom of the baking tin is now facing upward. Sprinkle with the icing sugar (if desired) and enjoy!