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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
3 hours
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Serves
10 to 12
Author Notes
Princess cake, or prinsesstårta in Swedish, is a six layer cake covered in a thin sheet of green marzipan. The cake begins with a layer of sponge cake, traditionally followed by raspberry jam, another layer of sponge, vanilla custard, sponge, and an overly generous amount of whipped cream.
The cake appears fancy and extremely decadent, but it’s surprisingly light in flavor and texture. The most challenging part is adding the marzipan layer without causing it to crack (which, as you’ll see in the video, I didn’t quite manage this time). Like many other Swedes, I’ve always considered it my favorite cake. And if you haven’t tried one before, I’m sure you’ll understand why after making it. Swedes traditionally enjoy princess cake on birthdays and holidays, and it’s available year-round at many cafes across the country.
In this version, I swapped raspberry jam for applesauce/applebutter because, well, I thought it tasted great and was a fun alternative to what I’ve eaten in the past. If it’s your first time experiencing a princess cake, I’d recommend making it with raspberry jam.
Tips & Tricks
• When making a princess cake, choose marzipan instead of almond paste. Marzipan contains less almond and more sugar than almond paste, giving it a smoother texture and making it easier to work with. Its forgiving nature allows it to stretch when covering the cake, while almond paste tends to crack and break.
• Look for plain marzipan at specialty stores and use food coloring to create the green shade yourself. Alternatively, purchase pre-colored green marzipan online, available both pre-rolled and in tubs. If you’re in Sweden, most grocery stores carry it.
• Feel free to use almond paste for the marzipan rose since shaping and coloring it into a small flower requires less flexibility.
• Ensure you whip the eggs and sugar together for the full recommended time, as this step provides most of the cake’s leavening.
• To make in advance, bake the cake layers up to 2 days ahead; wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in a sealable plastic bag. Store at room temperature. Make vanilla pastry cream up to 2 days ahead and store in a sealable container in the fridge. Assemble the cake the day before and store in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, then dust with powdered sugar. —Nea Arentzen
Watch This Recipe
Nea’s Swedish Princess Cake (Prinsesstårta)
Ingredients
- SPONGE CAKE
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3
large (90 grams) eggs
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scant 3/4 cups
plus 3 tablespoons (90 grams) granulated white sugar
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3/4 cup
(90 grams) all-purpose flour
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1/2 teaspoon
baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon
Diamond crystal kosher salt
- VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
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1 2/3 cups
(375 grams) whole milk
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1/3 cup
(66 grams) granulated sugar
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1 teaspoon
vanilla bean paste or extract
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3
egg yolks
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3 tablespoons
cornstarch
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2 tablespoons
(26 grams) unsalted butter
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1/4 teaspoon
Diamond crystal kosher salt
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ASSEMBLY
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2 cups
(454 grams) cold heavy whipping cream
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1/4 cup
raspberry jam, applesauce, apple butter, or blackberry jam
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200 grams
green marzipan
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25 grams
plain marzipan OR almond paste to make a rose (see tip)
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a
few drops red food coloring
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powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions
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Make the Sponge Cake: Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and position a rack in the bottom half of the oven. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and dust it with flour.
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In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whisk the eggs and sugar until they are super light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 8 minutes. If unsure, keep whipping—this step is crucial for creating the leavening. Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter using a spatula in figure-8 motions until no flour streaks remain. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl thoroughly to avoid hidden pockets of flour.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the lower oven rack until the sides start to pull away, the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack, then remove it and slice it into three layers.
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Make the pastry cream: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla. Heat the mixture until it’s hot to the touch, about 1 to 2 minutes.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch. Slowly pour the warmed milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously until fully combined. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and reaching into the edges of the pan, until thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and salt.
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Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely. For quicker cooling, set the bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice water.
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Assemble the layers: Once the cake and pastry cream are fully cooled, whip the cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Soft peaks are essential to ensure the cream remains pliable as you work with it. Over-whipping to stiff peaks can cause the cream to harden and curdle during assembly.
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To prepare the cake plate, arrange four strips of parchment paper in a square around the edges of the plate, leaving the center exposed to keep the plate clean. Place the bottom cake layer on the plate. Spread a generous layer of applesauce or compote over the cake, leaving a ½-inch border. Add the middle cake layer and spread a ½-inch thick layer of pastry cream on top, again leaving a ½-inch border. (You don’t need to use all the pastry cream.) Top with the final cake layer, placing it cut side down.
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Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake to create a crumb coat. Then use the remaining whipped cream to create a domed layer on top of the cake, making the center approximately 3 inches tall.
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Decorate with Marzipan: Dust a clean work surface with powdered sugar. Roll the marzipan into a thin, 16-inch wide circle. Ensure it’s not too thin to avoid tearing. Lift the marzipan periodically to prevent sticking, dusting with more powdered sugar as needed.
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Dust the top of the marzipan with powdered sugar and roll it onto your rolling pin. Carefully drape it over the domed cake. Gently pull and pat the marzipan down the sides, working from top to bottom to smooth out any folds. Trim excess marzipan from the base with a knife. Use your hands or a pastry scraper to smooth the marzipan into a dome shape. Very gently brush off any excess powdered sugar with a pastry brush.
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Knead a few drops of red food coloring into a small piece of marzipan or almond paste until evenly colored. Roll a tablespoon-sized portion into a ¼-inch thick cylinder. Press your finger along the length of the cylinder to create small dents. Roll it up from one end to form a rose shape (refer to a video tutorial if needed).
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Make a slight dent in the center of the cake and place the marzipan rose there. Dust the entire cake lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
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