Le Zucchine

Method:

Little history

Princess Cake, or Prinsesstarta in Swedish, is one of Sweden's classic celebration cakes. It was originally known as gron tarta, meaning green cake, and became associated with Swedish royalty through Jenny Akerstrom, a teacher and cookbook author who taught the princesses Margaretha, Martha and Astrid. The cake later became known as Princess Cake, reportedly because the princesses were very fond of it. It is usually served for birthdays, family gatherings and fika.

Method

1. Make the sponge cake

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease a round cake tin and line the bottom with baking paper.

Beat the eggs and sugar together for several minutes, until the mixture becomes pale, thick and airy. This step is important because the sponge should be light and soft. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda or baking powder, and salt.

Fold the dry ingredients gently into the egg mixture. Do not beat too hard, otherwise the cake will lose air and become heavy. Pour into the tin and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

Leave the sponge to cool completely before cutting it. A warm sponge will break easily and will also melt the cream.

2. Prepare the custard

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and flour or cornflour in a saucepan until smooth. Slowly add the milk while whisking, so you avoid lumps.

Place the saucepan over a low heat and cook gently, stirring all the time, until the custard thickens. It should become smooth and creamy, not too runny. Add the vanilla at the end.

Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover the surface with cling film or baking paper, and let it cool completely.

3. Slice and fill the cake

Cut the cooled sponge into three thin layers. Place the first layer on a serving plate or cake tray.

Spread a thin layer of raspberry or strawberry jam over the sponge. Add some custard on top and smooth it gently.

Place the second sponge layer over the custard. Add another layer of custard, or a little whipped cream if you prefer a lighter filling.

Place the final sponge layer on top.

4. Shape the cream dome

Whip the cream until thick but still soft. Spread a generous amount over the top of the cake, shaping it into a rounded dome. This dome is what gives Princess Cake its traditional shape.

Try to keep the sides neat and smooth, but do not worry if it is not perfect - the marzipan will cover the outside.

5. Cover with green marzipan

Dust the table lightly with icing sugar and roll out the green marzipan into a large thin circle. It must be wide enough to cover the whole cake and reach down the sides.

Carefully lift the marzipan and place it over the cream dome. Smooth it gently with your hands, starting from the top and moving down the sides. Trim away the excess marzipan around the base.

Dust the cake with icing sugar and decorate with a small marzipan flower on top.

6. Chill before serving

Place the cake in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving. This helps the layers settle and makes the cake easier to cut.

When sliced, you should see the sponge, custard, jam and cream inside, with the green marzipan wrapping everything like a soft dome.

Serving suggestion

Serve cold, ideally with coffee or lemonade. It is a rich but elegant cake, so small slices are enough.