Swedish Princess Cake

Dessert

Nov 24

This delicate, dome-shaped cake is made with light sponge, silky custard, tart raspberry, airy cream, and sweet almond marzipan — the Swedish royal favorite.

Prinsesstårta (Swedish Princess Cake)

This delicate, dome-shaped cake is made with light sponge, silky custard, tart raspberry, airy cream, and sweet almond marzipan — the Swedish royal favorite.

Servings: 10–12 slices

Prep Time: 2 hours active (plus cooling time)

Cook Time: ~30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the Cake:
- 4 large eggs (220 g)
- 4 large egg yolks (88 g)
- 2⁄3 cup (140 g) sugar
- 1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
- 5 Tbsp (66 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups (500 g) whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 1⁄3 cup (50 g) cornstarch
- 8 large egg yolks (120 g)
- 2 Tbsp (25 g) butter
For the Marzipan:
- 4 cups (400 g) almond flour
- 2 1⁄2 cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- Green and red food coloring
- Almond extract, optional
For Assembly:
- 2 cups (250 g) fresh raspberries
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- Lemon juice, to taste
- 2 cups (500 g) heavy cream
- Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

Bake the Sponge Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. Whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar over simmering water until slightly thickened (about 130°F). Beat in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy. Sift flour over and fold gently, then fold in butter. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden and springy. Cool completely before slicing.
Cook the Raspberry Jam: Combine raspberries and sugar in a saucepan. Simmer ~10 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. Add lemon juice to taste. Cool and chill.
Make the Pastry Cream: Heat milk with vanilla just to a boil. Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch; temper with hot milk. Cook over medium, whisking, until thick and glossy. Stir in butter, strain, and chill.
Make the Marzipan: Blend almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor. Add egg whites one at a time, mixing until a smooth dough forms. Optional: add almond extract. Tint most of it pale green and a small portion red for a rose. Wrap tightly until needed.
Assemble the Cake: Whip cream to soft peaks. Fold ½ cup pastry cream into ⅔ of the whipped cream to make diplomat cream. Slice the cake into three layers. Spread raspberry jam on the bottom, pastry cream on the second, then mound diplomat cream on top and smooth into a dome. Add the final cake layer and press lightly to hold shape.
Cover with Marzipan: Roll the green marzipan into a ⅛-inch thick circle and cover the cake, trimming edges neatly.
Make the Marzipan Rose: Shape red marzipan into 12 small balls, flatten into petals, and wrap to form a rose. Curl edges outward for a natural look.
Finish: Dust the cake with powdered sugar and top with the marzipan rose before serving.