Indulge in the luscious delight of a homemade Swedish Strawberry Cake. This step-by-step guide will take you on a culinary journey to create a mouthwatering dessert that perfectly captures the essence of Nordic summer. Get ready to impress your taste buds and wow your loved ones with this irresistible treat.
Ingredients:
(Enough for a round cake pan 20cm wide)
4 egg
200 ml sugar
100 ml corn flour
100 ml all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
Custard:
120 ml milk
1/4 tsp vanilla powder [or 1/2 vanilla pod]
40 ml sugar
2 egg yolks
30 ml cornstarch
25 g room temp butter
Strawberry compote:
250g frozen strawberries
1/4 cup of sugar
1 packet of fresh strawberries
600ml of cream
Filling:
Custard +
cream
strawberry compote
Preparing the custard:
In a saucepan, combine vanilla powder and milk, bringing it to a gentle boil. Alternatively, if using a vanilla pod, split it lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both the pod and seeds to the milk in the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from heat.
Using an electric whisk, beat caster sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until well combined. Slowly pour this mixture into the hot milk while continuously stirring.
Return the saucepan to low to medium heat, stirring the mixture gently. Allow the cream to thicken gradually while stirring. Once thickened, remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the butter.
Transfer the cream to a chilled bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming until the cream is completely cooled and ready to use, then you can put it in the fridge.
Preparing the strawberries:
Wash the strawberries thoroughly, remove the stems, and pat them dry. Slice a portion of the strawberries to be used as a topping for the cake. Set them aside and reserve the rest for the filling.
Preparing the strawberry compote:
In a pot heat up the frozen strawberries and the sugar. When it starts bubbling, bring down to a simmer and let it simmer for 5 min, before turning of the stove.
Making the cake batter:
Preheat oven to 175c. Grease and line the bottom and sides of your round cake pan with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl whip sugar and eggs together until white and fluffy. Gradually sift in the flour, baking powder, gently folding them into the mixture. Place the pan in the lower part of the oven and bake for 45 min or until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Assemble the Cake:
Once the cake have cooled completely, it's time to assemble your masterpiece. Start by whipping 1/3 of the cream until it forms stiff peaks. then mix the whipped cream with the cooled custard.
Take take and cut it in to three layers. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous amount of the strawberry compote on top. Carefully position the second cake layer over the filling. Then put the custard cream on and spread it out to a nice layer. Then put on your third layer of the cake.
Now, it's time to adorn the cake with whipped cream. Whip the rest of the cream and put 1/2 of it in a piping bag. Spread the rest in a layer over the top and sides of the cake, creating a smooth and creamy exterior. Then take your piping bag and pipe a nice pattern around the cake, but leave the middle empty for the strawberries.
Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the cake, pressing them gently into the whipped cream. You can get creative with the design or simply create a beautiful pattern with the strawberries. The vibrant red strawberries against the fluffy white cream make for an enticing visual presentation.
Your Nordic Strawberry Cake is now ready to be served. Enjoy!