Grandma's Cakes in Pregrada

The Grandma's Cakes event was held on April 27, 2025, in Pregrada. The Grandma's Cakes event, held in Pregrada, is a unique celebration of traditional desserts and the culinary heritage of the Zagorje region. This competition brings together grandmothers from all over Krapina-Zagorje County who proudly present their family recipes passed down from generation to generation. The atmosphere is warm and homely, the scents of fresh cakes fill the town square, and visitors have the opportunity to taste authentic flavours of childhood - from walnut and poppy seed cakes to forgotten nettle and zlevka pies. In addition to promoting local cuisine, the event preserves memories, identity, and values ​​that are part of the lives of many generations.

What makes Grandma's cakes particularly attractive is the combination of tradition and togetherness. Cakes are not just a dessert – they are a symbol of care, patience, and love that is passed down through the hands of our grandmothers in every kitchen. An expert jury evaluates the taste, appearance, and originality, but it is the audience that gives the greatest recognition with their attendance and enthusiasm. Every year, the event attracts an increasing number of lovers of local cuisine, and Pregrada, at least for one day, transforms into the center of Croatian sweet heritage.

The ribbon of the Zagorje “best midwife” was taken by Slavica Krklec from Pregrada with the cake Vučiteljičin salenjak. Second place for the cake Tuljčići was won by Nadica Varžić from Oroslavje, while third place was taken by Zdenkica Ljubić from Oroslavje with her Amalija’s lard rolls. Salenjak is one of the most famous and beloved cakes of traditional continental cuisine, especially in the northern regions of Croatia. It is a puff pastry made from dough richly spread with pork fat, which gives it exceptional crispiness and juiciness. The dough is folded and stretched several times, resulting in a layered texture similar to a French croissant, but with a distinctly homemade character. Salenjaki are most often filled with homemade plum or apricot jam, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Today, although they are less and less often prepared in everyday kitchens, salenjaci remain an indispensable part of local events such as *Grandma's Cakes*, where they evoke memories of winter days, grandmother's hands, and the simple yet irresistible pleasures of childhood.

The prefect of Krapina-Zagorje County, Željko Kolar, presented the winning ribbon. “The large number of people who came to try the best cakes in the world is a confirmation that we are doing a good job. Not only do we protect old recipes from being forgotten, to remind the younger generation of desserts they have never heard of, let alone tried, but through our recipe book, we also maintain tradition and enable our hotels and restaurants to make a breakthrough in their dessert offerings. Of course, apart from our protected products – turkey, mlinac, štrukli, acacia honey, and indigenous varieties of wine, desserts occupy an important place,” said the prefect Kolar.