Prinsesstårta (Swedish Princess Cake)

Flavored with a creamy vanilla pastry cream, bright raspberries, and an almondy marzipan, this beautiful layered Swedish princess cake is not for the faint of heart!

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 750 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• baking spray
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 14 ounces marzipan
• 4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cubed
• 1 cup raspberry jam, warmed
• 2 to 3 drops green gel food dye
• 1 tablespoon sifted powdered sugar, or to taste
• 1 cup fresh raspberries, or more to taste
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 1.25 cups white sugar
• 0.25 cup powdered sugar
• 2.25 cups bleached cake flour, sifted

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Prepare pastry cream: whisk sugar and cornstarch together in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and egg yolks until combined. Turn to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 2

Remove from heat and whisk in cold butter and vanilla until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of custard and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper.

Step 4

Bring a medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of water to a simmer over medium heat.

Step 5

Combine eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the mixing bowl over the pot of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until a thermometer reaches 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), 5 to 6 minutes.

Step 6

Return bowl to the stand mixer. Beat with a whisk attachment on high speed until mixture is pale yellow and has tripled in volume, about 3 minutes. Fold in flour until just combined. Fold in melted butter and vanilla until combined. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Use a long, serrated knife to split each cake layer in half horizontally. Set cake aside until pastry cream is ready to use.

Step 8

Assemble cake: spread the cut side of each cake layer with warm raspberry jam. Place one cake layer, jam-side up, on a cake plate. Spread 1/2 cup pastry cream over cake. Repeat process with two more cake layers, ending with remaining cake layer on top, jam-side down. Place a 4-inch wooden skewer through the middle of the cake to hold layers in place. Reserve remaining remaining pastry cream for another use.

Step 9

Beat heavy cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream around side of cake. Mound remaining whipped cream on top of cake, spreading to create a smooth dome.

Step 10

Knead together marzipan and gel food dye until color is evenly distributed. Roll out marzipan in between 2 sheets of parchment paper, to a 15-inch circle; gently remove top piece of parchment paper. Invert marzipan and drape over cake; gently remove remaining parchment paper. Gently press marzipan down over cake, starting at the top of cake and working your way down to create a smooth dome. Cut away any excess and tuck ends of marzipan under cake.

Step 11

Dust top of cake with sifted powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh raspberries.