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Prinsesstårta — Swedish Princess Cake

Name: Prinsesstårta — Swedish Princess Cake
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: swedish
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 150 g caster sugar; 150 g plain flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 3 tablespoons raspberry jam; 4 egg yolks (for custard); 80 g sugar (for custard); 3 tablespoons cornflour (for custard); 400 ml whole milk (for custard); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 600 ml double cream (whipped to soft peaks); 500 g green marzipan (ready-rolled or block); 2 tablespoons icing sugar (for dusting)

Sweden's most iconic celebration cake: layers of sponge, vanilla custard and whipped cream encased in a dome of pastel green marzipan and dusted with icing sugar.

Prep

90 min

Cook

30 min

Servings

Difficulty

Hard

★★★★★

4.9(2,341 ratings)

#princess cake#prinsesstarta#swedish#marzipan#celebration cake#scandinavian

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About This Recipe

The Prinsesstårta is Sweden's most celebrated cake, eaten at birthdays, name days, graduations and weddings across the country. Its architecture is as distinctive as its taste: three layers of light sponge filled with pastry cream and jam, topped with a mountain of lightly sweetened whipped cream, and then completely encased in a smooth dome of rolled green marzipan. A dusting of icing sugar and a single marzipan rose on top complete the look. The cake was created in the 1920s by Jenny Åkerström, a cooking teacher to Swedish royalty, and named after three princesses who allegedly loved it. Every Swedish bakery sells their own version, and making it at home is a significant but deeply rewarding project.

Ingredients

Serves 10

4eggs
150 gcaster sugar
150 gplain flour
1 teaspoonbaking powder
3 tablespoonsraspberry jam
4egg yolks(for custard)
80 gsugar(for custard)
3 tablespoonscornflour(for custard)
400 mlwhole milk(for custard)
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
600 mldouble cream(whipped to soft peaks)
500 ggreen marzipan(ready-rolled or block)
2 tablespoonsicing sugar(for dusting)

Instructions

1
Bake the sponge
Preheat oven to 175°C. Whisk eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 8 minutes until pale and tripled in volume. Sift in flour and baking powder, fold gently. Pour into a greased 22cm tin. Bake for 25–30 minutes. Cool completely, then slice horizontally into 3 layers.
2
Make pastry cream
Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Heat milk until steaming. Gradually pour milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick. Stir in vanilla. Cover with cling film touching the surface and cool completely.
3
Assemble
Place bottom sponge layer on a plate. Spread with jam, then pastry cream. Add second layer. Spread with more pastry cream. Add top layer. Spread whipped cream in a thick domed layer — the dome shape is essential. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
The cream dome must be generously rounded — the marzipan drapes over it and needs the height to create the characteristic shape.
4
Cover with marzipan
Roll green marzipan into a large circle about 38cm diameter and 4mm thick. Carefully lift and drape over the cream dome. Smooth gently, trim excess at the base. Dust with icing sugar and top with a marzipan rose.

Pro Tips

→
The sponge must be completely cold before assembly, or the cream will melt.
→
To make a marzipan rose: roll a small piece of marzipan into a thin sheet, cut circles, and roll them up overlapping to form petals.
→
Work quickly when draping the marzipan — if it tears, press it back together gently.
→
Weigh dry ingredients on a scale instead of using cups — grams are the difference between a tender and a tough crumb.

Variations

•
Pink marzipan is used for the rose on top; the traditional dome is always green.
•
Some bakers add a layer of sliced strawberries with the cream for a summer version.
•
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
•
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The marzipan may sweat slightly in the fridge — dust with icing sugar before serving. Best served at room temperature.

History & Origin

Prinsesstårta was created in the 1920s by Jenny Åkerström, a home economics teacher who instructed the daughters of Prince Carl of Sweden. The recipe appeared in her cookbook and was reportedly so loved by the three princesses — Margaretha, Märtha and Astrid — that it was named in their honour. It has remained Sweden's most beloved cake for a century and is particularly eaten during the third week of September, designated 'Princess Cake Week' in Sweden.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the marzipan green?

The traditional green colour is believed to symbolise spring and freshness. Pink and yellow versions exist but green is the classic — and the one that makes it immediately recognisable as a Prinsesstårta.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.

What can I substitute if I don't have all the ingredients?

Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.

How do I know it's authentic?

Authenticity sits on a spectrum — what matters more is honoring the technique and balance of flavors. If the dish tastes harmonious and respects how cooks in its home region would build it, you're on solid ground.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (180g / 6.3 oz) · 10 servings total

Calories520kcal

Protein8g

Carbohydrates58g

Fat28g

Fiber1g

Protein8g

Carbs58g

Fat28g

Time Summary

Prep time90 min

Cook time30 min

Total time120 min

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About This Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 10

4eggs

150 gcaster sugar

150 gplain flour

1 teaspoonbaking powder

3 tablespoonsraspberry jam

4egg yolks(for custard)

80 gsugar(for custard)

3 tablespoonscornflour(for custard)

400 mlwhole milk(for custard)

1 teaspoonvanilla extract

600 mldouble cream(whipped to soft peaks)

500 ggreen marzipan(ready-rolled or block)

2 tablespoonsicing sugar(for dusting)

Instructions

Bake the sponge

Preheat oven to 175°C. Whisk eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 8 minutes until pale and tripled in volume. Sift in flour and baking powder, fold gently. Pour into a greased 22cm tin. Bake for 25–30 minutes. Cool completely, then slice horizontally into 3 layers.

Make pastry cream

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Heat milk until steaming. Gradually pour milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick. Stir in vanilla. Cover with cling film touching the surface and cool completely.

Assemble

Place bottom sponge layer on a plate. Spread with jam, then pastry cream. Add second layer. Spread with more pastry cream. Add top layer. Spread whipped cream in a thick domed layer — the dome shape is essential. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.

The cream dome must be generously rounded — the marzipan drapes over it and needs the height to create the characteristic shape.

Cover with marzipan

Roll green marzipan into a large circle about 38cm diameter and 4mm thick. Carefully lift and drape over the cream dome. Smooth gently, trim excess at the base. Dust with icing sugar and top with a marzipan rose.

Pro Tips

→

The sponge must be completely cold before assembly, or the cream will melt.

→

To make a marzipan rose: roll a small piece of marzipan into a thin sheet, cut circles, and roll them up overlapping to form petals.

→

Work quickly when draping the marzipan — if it tears, press it back together gently.

→

Weigh dry ingredients on a scale instead of using cups — grams are the difference between a tender and a tough crumb.

Variations

•

Pink marzipan is used for the rose on top; the traditional dome is always green.

•

Some bakers add a layer of sliced strawberries with the cream for a summer version.

•

Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

•

Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

History & Origin

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the marzipan green?

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.