Prinsesstårta (Swedish Princess Cake)

Flavored with a creamy vanilla pastry cream, bright raspberries, and an almondy marzipan, this beautiful layered sponge cake is not for the faint of heart! However, the end result is amazing, and this cake would be excellent at a dinner party, birthday party, holiday celebration, or any special occasion.

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

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• baking spray
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 14 ounces marzipan
• 4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cubed
• 2 ¼ cups bleached cake flour, sifted
• 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

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.