Swedish Princess Cake

Hi guys!

This weeks recipe is one with a Royal touch: Swedish Princess Cake. Swedish what? This cake is a traditional Swedish layered cake with yummy sponge cake, pastry cream, lots of whipped cream and a subtle layer of green marzipan.
Finishing touch? A pink marzipan rose.

The original recipe for this layered cake first appeared in 1948. Jenny Akerström, teacher of Prince Carl’s daughters made this cake for the three Princesses. It was actually called Green Cake because of the green marzipan layer on top but was later renamed Swedish Princess Cake because the Princesses loved it so much. I just love this little story.

I have always loved the look of this Swedish delicasy but never had the guts to actually make one myself. Until now. I must say I’m actually pretty proud to have pulled this one off! The border of whipped cream on the bottom isn’t part of the Classic version. It was indeed to cover 1 slight crack in the marzipan. But I didn’t call this recipe a ‘Classic Swedish Princess Cake’ so it’s okay. Isn’t it?

What we need for 3 10 cm diameter cakes:

Sponge Cake

• 6 eggs
• 240 g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 180 g all purpose flour
• 60 g corn starch (maïzena)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• baking sheet
• baking spray
• parchment paper

Pastry cream

• 500 ml milk
• 1 – 2 tsp vanilla
• 85 g caster sugar
• 4 tbsp cornstarch (maïzena)
• 6 egg yolks
• 45 g unsalted butter at room temperature

Other

• 400 ml whipped cream
• raspberry jam
• spatula
• icing sugar
• 230 g green marzipan or natural marzipan you will color green yourself
• 20 g pink marzipan or natural marzipan you will color pink yourself
• small round cookie cutter
• 10 cm diameter round cookie cutter
• sieve
• rolling pin

How to:

Sponge Cake

1. Preheat the oven at 180°C
2. Spray the baking sheet and place parchment paper on top so it sticks to it
3. Sift flour and corn starch together and set aside
4. Mix together eggs and sugar for about 1 minute on medium speed
5. Increase to high speed and mix for another 5 minutes
6. Add the water and mix again
7. Add the vanilla and keep mixing until the batter becomes thicker and comes down your spatula like a ribbon
8. Add half of the flour mixture and gently fold it in
9. Add the other half and fold in whilst making sure you keep the air in your batter
10. Poor the batter on the baking sheet
11. Bake for about 15 minutes
12. Gently peel off the parchment paper and let it cool

Pastry Cream

1. Heat the milk and vanilla, stirring occasionally, until the milk is hot but not boiling
2. Combine sugar, corn starch and salt
3. Whisk in the egg yolks all at once until light and fluffy and batter reaches the ribbon stage
4. As you continue whisking, slowly add one-third of the hot milk to the yolk mixture to temper the egg yolks
5. Whisk in remaining milk into egg yolks and return entire mixture to saucepan
6. Place over medium heat and whisk frequently until the mixture begins to boil
7. Whisk the mixture vigorously for 2 minutes, while boiling, until the cornstarch dissolves completely
8. Remove the pan from the heat
9. Strain the vanilla cream mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl.
10. Whisk in the butter
11. Let it cool before using

Swedish Princess Cake

1. Cut out 9 circles of sponge cake with the biggest cookie cutter
2. Spread a layer of raspberry jam on 3 of the layers
3. Place 1 layer of sponge cake on top of the raspberry jam
4. Spread a good amount of pastry cream on the 2nd sponge cake layer and make sure it is as even as possible
5. Put some whipped cream on top of the pastry cream and use a spatula to make it dome shaped
6. Carefully add the 3rd layer of sponge cake and press it gently down in the whipped cream. You will see you can push it into the cream to make the dome shape even better
7. Crumb coat the whole cake with whipped cream
8. Set aside in the fridge whilst preparing the marzipan. Roll out as fine as you can
9. Wrap the cakes in a nice blanket of green marzipan. Don’t push or pull too much to avoid cracks and bumbs
10. Cut away the excess on the bottom
11. Roll out the pink marzipan
12. Cut out 5-7 small circles using a round cookie cutter
13. Place them next to each other with +- 1 -2 cm overlap
14. Roll the marzipan and cut in 2 => 2 roses!
15. You can shape the roses a bit before placing them on top
16. Sprinkle some icing sugar over the cakes
17. Serve with a royal smile

Manuela Kjeilen from Passion For Baking has her own blog, YouTube channel and several cookbooks. She made a video demonstrating this gorgeous dessert. It really helps you understand the different steps so I would recommend you check that one out 😉

Have you ever tried a Swedish Princess Cake? Or have you ever tried making one? Let me know! I’d love to hear your stories.

Have a delicious day ❤
xxx Sarah

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