Swedish Princess Cake

Ingredients

• 160 g All-purpose flour (For the vanilla cake)
• 6.5 g Baking powder (For the vanilla cake)
• 1 g Fine salt (For the vanilla cake)
• 3 Large eggs (For the vanilla cake)
• 200 g Granulated sugar (For the vanilla cake)
• 77 g Unsalted butter (Melted; for the vanilla cake)
• 160 g Whole milk (For the vanilla cake)
• 8 g Vanilla extract (For the vanilla cake)
• 9 g Neutral oil (For the vanilla cake)
• 455 g Whole milk (For the pastry cream)
• 1 Vanilla bean (Split and scraped)
• 115 g Granulated sugar (For the pastry cream)
• 20 g Cornstarch (For the pastry cream)
• 15 g All-purpose flour (For the pastry cream)
• 2 g Salt (For the pastry cream)
• 70 g Egg yolks (From approximately 4 large cold eggs; for the pastry cream)
• 30 g Unsalted butter (Cut into small cubes; for the pastry cream)
• 480 g Cold heavy cream (35% fat; for the stabilized whipped cream)
• 15 g Powdered sugar (For the stabilized whipped cream)
• 5 g Vanilla extract (For the stabilized whipped cream)
• 30 g Pastry cream (Reserved from the finished pastry cream; for stabilizing the whipped cream)
• 168 g Almond flour (For the marzipan)
• 180 g Powdered sugar (For the marzipan)
• 2 tsp Almond extract (For the marzipan)
• 1 Egg white (Alternatively use 3 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites; for the marzipan)
• Green food coloring (Add to the desired shade; for the marzipan)
• 150 g Raspberry jam (For layering the cake)
• Powdered sugar (For lightly dusting the assembled cake, as needed)
• Strawberry or marzipan rose (Optional garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line and grease one 8-inch round cake pan.

2. 2

   For the vanilla cake, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

3. 3

   In a stand mixer, whip the eggs and granulated sugar until very pale and approximately tripled in volume.

4. 4

   Heat the milk and melted butter together until the butter has melted. Stir in the vanilla extract.

5. 5

   Temper the warm milk mixture by stirring a small scoop of the whipped egg batter into it. Fold the tempered mixture back into the main batter.

6. 6

   Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

7. 7

   Bake for 22–28 minutes, until the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

8. 8

   Slice the cooled cake horizontally into three thin, even layers.

9. 9

   For the pastry cream, heat the milk and split vanilla bean with its scraped seeds in a saucepan until steaming.

10. 10

    Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt until pale and smooth.

11. 11

    Gradually temper the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking. Return the mixture to the saucepan.

12. 12

    Cook the pastry cream, whisking continuously, until thick, glossy, and bubbling.

13. 13

    Remove the pastry cream from the heat and whisk in the cubed butter. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and chill completely.

14. 14

    For the stabilized whipped cream, whisk 30 g of the chilled pastry cream until smooth.

15. 15

    Whip the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to soft peaks.

16. 16

    Add the smoothed pastry cream and continue whipping to medium-firm peaks. Refrigerate until assembly.

17. 17

    For the marzipan, place the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times, until completely fine, uniform, and free of clumps.

18. 18

    Add the almond extract and pulse 3–4 times to distribute it.

19. 19

    With the processor running, drizzle in the egg white until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.

20. 20

    Turn the marzipan onto a surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar and knead for 10–20 seconds, until smooth and cohesive. If sticky, knead in a pinch of powdered sugar; if dry, add water or egg white ½ teaspoon at a time.

21. 21

    Knead in green food coloring until the marzipan reaches the desired shade. Roll it between parchment sheets or on a sugared surface into a 35–38 cm (approximately 15-inch) circle large enough to drape over the cake.

22. 22

    Place the first sponge layer on a serving plate and spread it with a thin, even layer of raspberry jam.

23. 23

    Add the second sponge layer and spread the pastry cream evenly over it.

24. 24

    Add 2–3 spoonfuls of stabilized whipped cream over the pastry cream.

25. 25

    Place the final sponge layer on top.

26. 26

    Pile the remaining whipped cream in the center of the cake and shape it into a smooth dome.

27. 27

    Chill the assembled cake for 10–15 minutes, until the whipped-cream dome is firm enough to cover.

28. 28

    Drape the rolled marzipan over the entire cake. Smooth it gently over the dome and sides, avoiding compressing the cream.

29. 29

    Trim away the excess marzipan at the base. Lightly dust the cake with powdered sugar and optionally garnish with a strawberry or marzipan rose.

Notes

The cake can use another sponge or vanilla cake recipe baked in an 8-inch pan. Traditionally, raspberry jam is used, but any preferred jam may be substituted. Keep the pastry cream and whipped cream refrigerated until needed, and handle the marzipan gently when smoothing it over the dome.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• baked
• European
• Swedish
• layer cake
• raspberry
• marzipan