swedish princess cake | prinsesstårta | global table adventure

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Swedish Princess Cake | Prinsesstrta

EUROPE, SWEDEN

Published on May 2, 2013 comments 57By Sasha Martin



They say this spring green dome from the 1930s made with layers of sponge cake,

raspberry jam, custard, and whipped cream is DIFFICULT. Everyone says so, in fact, except

for the Swedes.

Curious, right?

I finally figured out why: Swedish folk have great recipes and three quarters of a centurys

worth of tips and tricks up their sleeves.

Like, ahem, pre-rolled marzipan and boxed custard. I even saw one Swedish video which

used prepacked cake, already sliced in thirds.



We all start out as children.

This Swedish Proverb hints at what I learned, first hand, when making this cake: we must



crawl before we can walk, we must be children before we are grown.

Experience comes one step at a time.

Considering I made each part of this cake 3 times, and messed it up terribly along the way

I thought you might benefit from my errors.

So, do forgive me, but before we get into the recipe, I must tell you about the top five

mistakes I made when making this cake, so you dont do the same.

TOP FIVE MISTAKES WHEN MAKING A SWEDISH PRINCESS CAKE

1. I based my cake on a bad recipe. I didnt realize it, but two of the recipes I originally

adapted from were missing a key ingredient: water. As a result, my cake kept coming out

dry and overcooked on the edges (note the bottom of this photo).



Though most of the photos in this post show really dark edges and a dry, dense crumb,

have no fear; Ive since fixed my recipe, so yours will be light in color and fluffy in texture. I

took a picture with my phone, so that you could see what it should look like:



2. Food Coloring. If you really want to make your marzipan sticky, use regular food

coloring. If, however, you want to keep from having a huge mess, use gel colors, such as

Wiltons (available at craft and baking supply stores). They dont dilute the marzipan and it

stays relatively mess free. Plus, you can use them for buttercream and icing.

3. I tried to roll my marzipan at room temperature. Its much better to roll the marzipan

RIGHT after you mix the color in, not later on. The heat from your hands will have made it

much more pliable. You can even stand on a step stool to get some more weight behind

your rolling pin. (And be sure to do it between two sheets of parchment paper, so it doesnt

stick).



4. I rolled my marzipan too thin. If rolled too thinly, the cake shows through (see below)

and it encourages cracking when you try to press it onto the cake. Dont worry, my recipe

has been updated so that you use an extra tube of marzipan, so you dont make the same

mistake I did. (I later went back and doubled up over the too-thin layer, which is always an

option if you make the same mistake I did).

5. I thought I could do it right on the first try. No one, not even Doctor Who, could smooth

marzipan over a cake of this height without cracks or ripples especially not on the first

try (Unless you already know how to work with fondant, in which case Im very jealous).

Somewhere I saw a blogger suggest testing out your skills on an inverted bowl. This is a

great idea because, once you get whipped cream on your marzipan, you cant re-roll it.

And marzipan is too expensive to make that mistake with.

Remember, worse case scenario, you could always just drape the marzipan like a rippled

curtain. And you can hide the wrinkly seams behind ribbon (as I did) or under some extra

flowers my friend says people put flowers and leaves (and even powdered sugar) all over



flowers my friend says people put flowers and leaves (and even powdered sugar) all over

their cakes in Sweden to hide mistakes.

Heres a video I watched that was tremendously helpful when it came to assembly:

Adapted from Marcus Samuelsson, Martha Stewart, and Semi Swede.

Makes 1, 8 super tall cake.

Ingredients:

Tillverkning av prinsesstrta



For the pastry cream:

2 cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1/2 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup cornstarch

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup warm water

parchment paper and butter, for prepping pan

To assemble:

1/2 cup Raspberry jam (seedless)

3 cups heavy cream, whipped stiff (sweetened, as desired)

21 ounces marzipan (3 packages)

green food coloring

red food coloring

powdered sugar, for dusting

Method:

Turn on a little Swedish Music to get things going.

Swedish folk music - Triakel - Alla Gossar



1. Prepare the pastry cream.

Heat up the milk with the vanilla bean scrapings and sugar. Meanwhile, whisk together the

yolks (reserve the whites for another use) and cornstarch in a medium bowl. When the milk

is hot, whisk a little at a time into the yolk mixture, taking care not to curdle them.

Strain the mixture back into the pot, return to the stove and cook until thickened, whisking

often so that it doesn t clump up or stick.



Look at those flecks of pure vanilla bean goodness!

Set aside the custard until cooled to room temperature (preferably poured onto an 8 plate.This will make your job easier later, as its a bit thicker than the spreadable custard).

Meanwhile



2. Prepare the cake.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8 cake pan. Insert a circle of parchmentpaper in the bottom.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder. In a standing mixer, whip the eggs with the

sugar on high speed until fluffy and pale yellow. Sream in the water, then fold the flour

mixture into the eggs.



Pour into prepared cake pan and bake about 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick

comes out clean.

Let cool completely.

3. Prepare the marzipan

Mix some food coloring paste into three tubes (21 ounces) of marzipan. You want to make

an ounce or two of the marzipan pink, for the flower(s).

Next, work on the green. The best way to do this is to mix the green into a handful of

marzipan until smooth. Make it darker than you need (and save a pinch of this dark green

for leaves). Then work this dark green into the remaining marzipan and work until smooth

(I believe the proper technique is break it apart, mash it, break it apart, mash it, and so on

until the color is even).

Heres the colors you end up with:



Heres the colors you end up with:

If the marzipan gets sticky, use powdered sugar to dust your hands.

4. Roll out the Marzipan

Once the marzipan is really warm from being worked with your hands, roll it out.

Place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out in a circle, until 2 mm thick and

about 16-17 wide (although you might want to measure your cake after you assemble it,with a tape measure, just in case you need more or less). Remove the parchment paper at

the very end and roll it smooth to get rid of any lines the parchment paper may have

pressed into the marzipan.

Keep under tightly pressed parchment or saran until needed (so it doesnt dry out).



4. Assemble the cake

Now for the fun!

Cut the cake in three even pieces, as show below. Use toothpicks to guide your knife evenly

(you can measure up from the bottom of the cake to help you put the toothpicks at the

same height all around)

TIP: I doubt youll have browned edges, like I did. BUT, if you do, feel free to trim off the

browned edges for a more refined look.



The first layer needs the raspberry jam and a scoop of whipped cream. Be sure to keep the

jam away from the edge of the cake, as I have done. This will help keep it from oozing out

once you press the layers together.

Then add the second layer, the vanilla custard, and then a mini mountain of whipped

cream. Use your spatula to smooth it into an even mound.



Add the final cake layer, pressing down with your hands on the edges, to encourage it to

curve.

(Remember your cake wont be this dried out)



Use the last bit of whipped cream to cover the entire cake.



Cover with marzipan you might find it tricky to smooth out the marzipan. I did. So I tried

again (leaving the original layer on top, so we ended up with a double coating of marzipan

yum!).

You can dust your hands with powdered sugar to keep the marzipan from sticking.



Decorate with green leaves and a pink flower.



Enjoy with the easy smile of a Swede.

So what do you think?

Would you ever attempt this beautiful Swedish Princess Cake?

(I made ALL the mistakes possible, so you wouldnt have to, I promise!)

1 2 3 4 5!



IngredientsIngredients

For the pastry creamFor the pastry cream

2cups milk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1/2cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1/3cup cornstarch

For the cakeFor the cake

2cups cake our

2tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1cup sugar

3/4cup warm water

parchment paper

butter, for prepping pan

They say this spring green dome from the 1930s made with layers of sponge cake,raspberry jam, custard, and whipped cream is DIFFICULT. Everyone says so, in fact,except for the Swedes. Curious, right? I finally figured out why: Swedish folk have greatrecipes and three quarters of a centurys worth of tips and tricks up their sleeves. Like,ahem, pre-rolled marzipan and boxed custard. I even saw one Swedish video whichused prepacked cake, already sliced in thirds.

Swedish Princess Cake | Prinsesstrta

CourseCourse Sweets

LifestyleLifestyle Vegetarian

Food TypeFood TypeMiss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Servings

8"CAKE



butter, for prepping pan

To assembleTo assemble

1/2cup raspberry jam(seedless)

3cups heavy cream, whipped sti (sweetened as desired)

21oz marzipan(3 packages)

green food coloring

red food coloring

powdered sugar, for dusting

InstructionsInstructions

Prepare the pastry creamPrepare the pastry cream

1. Heat up the milk with the vanilla bean scrapings and sugar. Meanwhile, whisktogether the yolks (reserve the whites for another use) and cornstarch in amedium bowl. When the milk is hot, whisk a little at a time into the yolkmixture, taking care not to curdle them.

2. Strain the mixture back into the pot, return to the stove and cook untilthickened, whisking often so that it doesn't clump up or stick. Set aside thecustard until cooled to room temperature (preferably poured onto an 8 plate.This will make your job easier later, as its a bit thicker than the spreadablecustard).

Prepare the cakePrepare the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and our an 8 cake pan. Insert a circle ofparchment paper in the bottom.

2. Whisk together the our and baking powder. In a standing mixer, whip theeggs with the sugar on high speed until uy and pale yellow.

3. Stream in the water, then fold the our mixture into the eggs. Pour intoprepared cake pan and bake about 40-45 minutes, or until an insertedtoothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Prepare the marzipanPrepare the marzipan

1. Mix some food coloring paste into three tubes (21 ounces) of marzipan. Youwant to make an ounce or two of the marzipan pink, for the ower(s).



2. Next, work on the green. The best way to do this is to mix the green into ahandful of marzipan until smooth. Make it darker than you need (and save apinch of this dark green for leaves). Then work this dark green into theremaining marzipan and work until smooth (I believe the proper technique isbreak it apart, mash it, break it apart, mash it, and so on until the color iseven).

Roll out the marzipanRoll out the marzipan

1. Once the marzipan is really warm from being worked with your hands, roll itout. Place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out in a circle, until2 mm thick and about 16-17 wide (although you might want to measure yourcake after you assemble it, with a tape measure, just in case you need more orless). Remove the parchment paper at the very end and roll it smooth to getrid of any lines the parchment paper may have pressed into the marzipan.

2. Keep under tightly pressed parchment or saran until needed (so it doesnt dryout).

Assemble the cakeAssemble the cake

1. Cut the cake in three even pieces, as show below. Use toothpicks to guide yourknife evenly (you can measure up from the bottom of the cake to help you putthe toothpicks at the same height all around) TIP: I doubt youll have brownededges, like I did. BUT, if you do, feel free to trim o the browned edges for amore rened look.

2. The rst layer needs the raspberry jam and a scoop of whipped cream. Besure to keep the jam away from the edge of the cake, as I have done. This willhelp keep it from oozing out once you press the layers together.

3. Then add the second layer, the vanilla custard, and then a mini mountain ofwhipped cream. Use your spatula to smooth it into an even mound.

4. Add the nal cake layer, pressing down with your hands on the edges, toencourage it to curve. Use the last bit of whipped cream to cover the entirecake.

5. Cover with marzipan you might nd it tricky to smooth out the marzipan. Idid. So I tried again (leaving the original layer on top, so we ended up with adouble coating of marzipan yum!). You can dust your hands with powdered



double coating of marzipan yum!). You can dust your hands with powderedsugar to keep the marzipan from sticking.

6. Decorate with green leaves and a pink ower.

Recipe NotesRecipe Notes

TOP FIVE MISTAKES WHEN MAKING A SWEDISH PRINCESS CAKETOP FIVE MISTAKES WHEN MAKING A SWEDISH PRINCESS CAKE

1. I based my cake on a bad recipe.1. I based my cake on a bad recipe. I didnt realize it, but two of the recipes Ioriginally adapted from were missing a key ingredient: water. As a result, my cakekept coming out dry and overcooked on the edges (note the bottom of this photo).

Though most of the photos in this post show really dark edges and a dry, densecrumb, have no fear; Ive since xed my recipe, so yours will be light in color and uyin texture. I took a picture with my phone, so that you could see what it should looklike:

2. Food Coloring. 2. Food Coloring. If you really want to make your marzipan sticky, use regular foodcoloring. If, however, you want to keep from having a huge mess, use gel colors, suchas Wiltons (available at craft and baking supply stores). They dont dilute themarzipan and it stays relatively mess free. Plus, you can use them for buttercreamand icing.

3. I tried to roll my marzipan at room temperature.3. I tried to roll my marzipan at room temperature. Its much better to roll themarzipan RIGHT after you mix the color in, not later on. The heat from your handswill have made it much more pliable. You can even stand on a step stool to get somemore weight behind your rolling pin. (And be sure to do it between two sheets ofparchment paper, so it doesnt stick).

4. I rolled my marzipan too thin.4. I rolled my marzipan too thin. If rolled too thinly, the cake shows through (seebelow) and it encourages cracking when you try to press it onto the cake. Dont worry,my recipe has been updated so that you use an extra tube of marzipan, so you dontmake the same mistake I did. (I later went back and doubled up over the too-thinlayer, which is always an option if you make the same mistake I did).

5. I thought I could do it right on the rst try.5. I thought I could do it right on the rst try. No one, not even Doctor Who,could smooth marzipan over a cake of this height without cracks or ripplesespecially not on the rst try (Unless you already know how to work with fondant,



Share this:

especially not on the rst try (Unless you already know how to work with fondant,in which case Im very jealous). Somewhere I saw a blogger suggest testing out yourskills on an inverted bowl. This is a great idea because, once you get whipped creamon your marzipan, you cant re-roll it. And marzipan is too expensive to make thatmistake with.

Remember, worse case scenario, you could always just drape the marzipan like arippled curtain. And you can hide the wrinkly seams behind ribbon (as I did) or undersome extra owers my friend says people put owers and leaves (and evenpowdered sugar) all over their cakes in Sweden to hide mistakes.

Source:Source:

Recipe Copyright Sasha Martin, Global Table Adventure. For personal or educationaluse only.

FILED UNDER: Europe, Sweden

TAGGED WITH: Featured1, weddings

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swedish princess cake | prinsesstårta | global table adventure

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