Around the World in 12 Plates: Sweden
I must confess: I ate a Princess Cake for the first time at IKEA. In the winter of 2012, I had been living in Toronto for a few months when Adam moved from Newfoundland to join me. It was the first time we were going to live together and I was SO excited to take him to IKEA to pick out some items for our nest (it’s a wonderland to me). But someone got the hiccups and was being a bit of a sook as we wandered through the stylishly decorated kitchens full of purchasable gadgets. In an attempt to salvage what could be a defining moment in our relationship (it felt like it at the time), I bought a Princess Cake. We ate the small cake together in silence, the hiccups subsided and our trip to the Swedish stockpile of home decor treasures was saved. I feel I owe something to this little marzipan-covered marvel, so it was meant to be for this month’s Around the World in 12 Plates.
Swedish Princess Cake
Known to the Swedes as prinsesstårta, this cake has many layers of filling and of history. After my first taste of the Princess Cake at IKEA I wondered how Swedish this cake was, and turns out it’s very loyal. It first appeared in the 1948 edition of the cookbook entitled Prinsessornas Kokbok or “The Princess Cookbook” by Jenny Åkerström. She was the cooking instructor to the royal family of Sweden and taught the three princesses; Margaretha, Märtha and Astrid. The Swedish princesses were seen as mid-century role models, and gave instruction on everything from child care to cooking, highlighting the important and necessary job of women at home. These were no Disney-style princesses — it was more than just a lesson on home economics, it was empowering.
Prinsesstårta
This particular recipe is actually a combination of the three favourite cakes of the princesses! Åkerström decided to create this recipe and publish it as a tribute to them. Once it was published it became the iconic cake it is today, and so symbolic even IKEA sells it. It is not overly hard to make, but it takes time to prepare as there are many layers. First comes the sponge cake which is cut into three layers, which you have to let cool. The bottom layer of filling is typically raspberry jam, but I filled it with strawberry because I like it better. The next layer is a delicious vanilla pastry cream which I was pretty proud I didn’t screw up! It was the first time I made pastry cream, and after seeing countless MasterChef contestants botch it I was skeptical. More time elapses as you wait for this to cool. The top layer, which makes the dome shape the cake is famous for is filled with whipped cream. The outer layer is marzipan rolled out and dyed green with food colouring.
A recipe fit for a princess
I used a combination of two recipes because I found it hard to find the true authentic one. The first is Marcus Samuelsson’s Classic Swedish Princess Cake which was good, but the instructions were lacking. On the blog Completely Delicious, the instructions for Princess Cake were much more helpful so I went off this one as well! Overall I was very happy with how the cake turned out! While the sponge cake was a denser than I hoped for, the pastry cream was delicious and the jam helped add a touch of savoury to this overtly sweet cake.
Around the World in 12 Plates Sweden
Here are the other lovely challengers who stepped up to the plate for Sweden!
I pinned it right away! 😉 So so pretty, what a great job you did on this one! I have never tasted it, and although I am not fond of marzipan, icing, frosting and such, I’m thinking that the whole combination of layers with their unique flavors would be perfect together.
Thank you!! I wouldn’t think that sweet on sweet on sweet would work either, but it really does!
Yay prinsesstarta! I made one of these a few years ago and totally loved it, have been meaning to make another one. I love your pics, and your IKEA story 😉
Lol thanks Korena! At first I thought I wouldn’t tell the story, but it’s so much about Princess Cake it needed to be done!
This cake turned out divine! Wow…the photos are just perfect. I adore that pink plate, I have a similar one and now I can’t wait to use it in a photo.
Did you notice we have all referenced IKEA in our posts? Too funny!
I’m curious…how was rolling out the marzipan? You did such a great job!!
Another stunning post. Can’t wait for this month’s Hungarian adventure!
Thanks Bernice! The plate was my mothers and I have slowly commandeered it lol The marzipan was tricky at first because it was a dry, but I added water with the food colouring and it was actually easy to roll out! The trick is to use icing sugar when rolling it like you would use flour when rolling out dough.
Wow! What a stunning cake!! You did a great job and your photos are so pretty! I want to grab that piece that you are cutting right from my screen 😉
Aw thanks so much Dawn, you are too sweet!! We will have to meet sometime soon and have some cake!!
What a pretty cake! It’s quite festive in it’s own way. Nicely done!
Thanks Aimee! At first I didn’t even want to cut it because it looks so lovely lol!