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Princess Cake – Swedish Pincesstårta

Prinsesstårta (Swedish Princess Cake)

A Scandinavian classic of sponge, cream, and marzipan magic

There are cakes… and then there is Prinsesstårta.

If you’ve ever stepped into a Swedish café, chances are you’ve seen that smooth green dome sitting quietly behind the glass — soft, elegant, almost mysterious. It doesn’t scream for attention like a chocolate cake. It whispers.

And then you take a bite… and everything makes sense.

Light sponge, silky vanilla custard, a layer of tart raspberry jam, and a cloud of whipped cream — all wrapped in a delicate blanket of marzipan. It’s soft, balanced, and honestly… one of the most perfectly composed cakes in the world.

A Little History

Prinsesstårta dates back to the early 1900s and was originally called “Grön tårta” (green cake).

It became known as Princess Cake thanks to three Swedish princesses — Margaretha, Märtha, and Astrid — who were said to absolutely love it. Their teacher, Jenny Åkerström, included the recipe in her cookbook, and from there… it became a national icon.

Today, it’s a staple for birthdays, celebrations, and even has its own week in Sweden:
Prinsesstårtans vecka (Princess Cake Week).

What Makes It So Special?

It’s all about balance:

  • Soft, airy sponge
  • Sweet but slightly tangy raspberry jam
  • Rich, silky vanilla custard
  • Light whipped cream
  • And that signature marzipan dome

It’s not overly sweet. Not heavy. Not complicated in flavor.
Just… perfectly layered simplicity.

Prinsesstårta Recipe

Ingredients

Raspberry Jam

  • 250 g raspberries
  • 250 g jam sugar (with pectin)

Vanilla Custard (Pastry Cream)

  • ½ vanilla pod
  • 250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 50 ml (¼ cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract)
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 25 g (2 tbsp) room temperature butter

Sponge Cake

  • 4 eggs
  • 200 ml (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 100 ml (¾ cup) all-purpose flour
  • 100 ml (¾ cup) potato flour (or cornstarch substitute)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar

Decoration

  • 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) whipping cream
  • 400 g green marzipan
  • 50 g pink marzipan
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Make the Raspberry Jam

Rinse the raspberries and place them in a saucepan with the jam sugar.
Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.

Remove from heat and skim off any foam.
Pour into a clean jar and let cool completely in the fridge.

2. Make the Vanilla Custard

Split the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds, and add both seeds and pod to the cream.
Heat until just boiling, then remove the pod.

In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, vanilla sugar, and cornstarch until light and fluffy.
Slowly pour the hot cream into the mixture while whisking.

Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened.

Remove from heat, strain into a bowl, and whisk in the butter gradually.
Cover (with plastic touching the surface) and chill completely.

3. Bake the Sponge Cake

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
Grease a round cake tin (20 cm / 8 inches).

Whisk eggs and sugar until pale, thick, and fluffy.
Mix dry ingredients separately, then gently fold into the batter.

Pour into the tin and bake for about 40 minutes.
Let rest for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.

4. Assemble the Cake

Once everything is completely cool:

  1. Whip the cream to soft peaks
  2. Slice the sponge into three layers

Layering

  • Bottom layer: Spread raspberry jam
  • Middle layer: Add vanilla custard
  • Top layer: Place final sponge layer on top

5. Create the Dome

Cover the entire cake with whipped cream.
Add extra cream in the center to create that iconic rounded dome shape.

Chill the cake while preparing the marzipan.

6. Cover with Marzipan

Knead the marzipan until soft.
Roll it out to about 3–4 mm thick, large enough to cover the cake.

Carefully drape it over the cake and smooth it down with your hands.
Trim the edges neatly.

7. Decoration (Optional but Traditional)

  • Shape green marzipan into leaves
  • Create a rose using pink marzipan
  • Place on top of the cake

Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Final Thoughts

Prinsesstårta isn’t just a cake — it’s a feeling.

It’s the kind of cake you bring out slowly, slice carefully, and serve with coffee while everyone goes quiet for that first bite.

And honestly?
Once you’ve made it once… you’ll understand why Sweden never let this one go.

✨ If you make this, tag me @bakedbyammna — I would LOVE to see your version.

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