What can I say, a princess cake is a princess cake. And of course a princess cake is the best cake in the world. This is out of question and we do not have to argue about this. Right? It is one of the most popular Swedish torte which is served on special occasions such as graduation or birthday. Usually it is a big torte (in Swedish Prinsesstårta) and only sometimes you can find little cakes but I prefer (in Swedish you call mini cakes bakelse) the let petit version. It is a cake that you buy in the bakery and do not make yourself. My mom never made a princess cake in her life and doubt that she will ever make one but she has a daughter who can make a prinsesstårta or a princessbakelse at all times. My mom always excuses herself by telling me that it is not very common to make a torte yourself in Sweden but order it at the bakery. 

At home, you make Swedish cinnamon rolls or simple cakes that are easy and quick to prepare. I don't want to lie and tell you that this is a quick torte because it does require some time to make a princess bakelse but at the end you won't stop dreaming of a fluffy sponge cake, vanilla custard, whipped cream, rasberry jam and marzipan heaven. It is the princess of all cakes.



Makes 10 prinsessbakelser

Crème pâtissière

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 10 g corn starch
  • 25 g granulated sugar
  • 150 ml whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • Mix the egg yolks and corn starch. Then add sugar to it.
  • In a saucepan heat the milk. Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture and mix until everything is well combined. 
  • Pour the hot milk yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Boil up the mixture over medium heat, stir constantly, continue to cook for one minute (continue to stir constantly). The crème should have reached a thick consistency. 
  • Set the cream aside and let the crème pâtissière cool completely.

Sponge cake

  • 2 eggs
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 35 g all-purpose flour
  • 35 g corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • I used silicone hemisphere moulds but if you do not own such moulds use a muffin pan. Just make sure that you grease and flour your muffin pan very well.
  • Preheat the oven to 175°C.
  • Whisk the eggs and sugar (with a stand mixer or electric mixer) until it turns a pale yellow. It takes about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • In a seperate bowl mix flour, corn starch and baking powder. Then fold the flour mixture into the egg-sugar mixture.
  • Pour the cake batter into the cake moulds. Do not fill the mould more than 2/3.
  • Bake the little cakes for 15 minutes.
  • Let the mini cakes cool completely. Remove the moulds. The cake has a very soft consistency and the cake might be a little be sticky and do not come out perfectly from the moulds. Do not worry because when you assemble the cakes no one will notice this. You might ask yourself, why do not Marianne use another sponge cake? The answer is simple: because it is simply the best sponge cake for a princess cake (I tried six different kind of sponge cakes).

Filling

  • 400 g marzipan
  • A few drops of green and red food coloring
  • Powdered sugar
  • 300 g heavy cream
  • 50 g raspberry jam
  • Add 1 to 2 drops of food coloring to 350 g marzipan. Knead the marzipan with your hands until it has an even green color. Add 1 drop of red food coloring to the remaining marzipan (50 g) and knead until it has an even pink color. If the marzipan gets too sticky add a little bit of powdered sugar.
  • Make little roses from the pink marzipan.
  • Divide the green marzipan into 10 pieces. Roll out each marzipan piece to a circle. The best method to roll out the marzipan is between two parchment papers which are lightly dusted with powdered sugar.
  • Whisk the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks.
  • Stir the cooled down crème pâtissière smooth.
  • Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the whipped cream to the crème pâtissière.

                        Assembly

                        • Cut the little sponge cakes in half.
                        • Spread the bottom with raspberry jam. Then spread 1 tablespoon of crème pâtissière over the raspberry jam, top it with 1 teaspoon of whipped cream. Place other half of the sponge cake and press gently. Coat the cake (top and the sides) evenly with whipped cream (about 2 tablespoons of whipped cream).
                        • Cover the cake with the green marzipan and decorate each mini cake with a pink marzipan rose on top.
                        • Refrigerate the prinsess bakelser until you serve these sweet delicacies.