Recipe courtesy of
Ginevra Iverson
for
Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy of
Ginevra Iverson
for
Food Network Kitchen
Watch how to make this recipe.
Princess Cake
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- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 9 hr 20 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 1 hr 20 min
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 708
- Total Fat
- 35 g
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 90 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 73 g
- Protein
- 13 g
- Cholesterol
- 206 mg
- Sodium
- 313 mg
This classic Swedish cake is elegant and delicious with a pillowy, creamy interior. Recipes for the cake vary, but most bakers agree on layers of tender sponge cake, raspberry jam, pastry cream and a generous dome of whipped cream. Everything is covered in sweet marzipan, usually tinted green, with a pink rose on top for a charming finish. Our recipe balances the elements to maintain the delicate taste and texture of the cake. If you’ve never made homemade marzipan this version is a great introduction: It’s super-easy and comes out perfectly pliable with subtle almond flavor.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 9 hr 20 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 1 hr 20 min
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 708
- Total Fat
- 35 g
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 90 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 73 g
- Protein
- 13 g
- Cholesterol
- 206 mg
- Sodium
- 313 mg
Ingredients
Cake:
Pastry Cream:
Marzipan:
Whipped Cream:
Assembly:
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Directions
- For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a rimmed 18-by-13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and slowly add 1/2 cup of the sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff and glossy, about 3 minutes. Transfer the whites to a medium bowl and rinse and dry the mixer bowl and whisk. Return it to the mixer and add the egg yolks, remaining 1 cup sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix on high speed until fluffy and light in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce to medium speed and slowly add the hot water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase to high speed and whip until aerated and thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the mixer and fold in the flour and the melted butter with a rubber spatula. Fold in half the egg whites to lighten the batter and then add the remaining egg whites and fold until no lumps remain. Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly with a spatula.
- Bake the cake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden and the middle springs back when touched lightly, about 25 minutes. Cool the cake fully in the pan, about 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a cutting board dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Remove the parchment. Using the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan as a guide, cut out 2 rounds that are diagonal from each other and each as close to the edges of the cake as possible. Cut two half rounds from the remaining cake.
- For the pastry cream: While the cake bakes, stir together the milk, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl until smooth. While continually whisking, slowly pour in about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture, whisking until smooth. Continue whisking and adding 1/4 cup of the warm milk mixture at a time until all the milk is added.
- Pour the milk mixture back into the saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened and the texture of pudding, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the butter until melted and the pastry cream is glossy. Transfer the pastry cream to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- For the marzipan: Combine the almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and 1/4 cup water in a food processor. Process until a smooth ball forms, about 2 minutes (it should be the consistency of modeling clay). Transfer 2 tablespoons of the marzipan to a small bowl and knead in a drop of red food dye until it is evenly pink all over. Wrap tightly in plastic and set aside. Add 2 to 3 drops green food dye to the remaining marzipan and pulse until well combined. Add more drops if necessary until you have a pastel green color. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and set aside.
- For the whipped cream: Combine the cream, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Remove the pastry cream from the refrigerator and whisk until very smooth. Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream; refrigerate the pastry cream and whipped cream until using.
- To assemble the cake, put one cake layer on a platter or serving dish and spread evenly with the jam. Top with the two cake halves and spread with the pastry cream mixture. Top with the remaining cake layer and mound the whipped cream in the middle. Use a spatula to smooth the whipped cream so it makes an even dome over the cake.
- Lightly dust a work surface with confectioners’ sugar and use a rolling pin to roll the green marzipan out to a 14-inch circle. Roll the circle up on your pin and gently drape it over the cake. Use the side of your hand to seal the base of the cake with the marzipan and trim any excess marzipan off. Use your knuckle to gently make a small divot in the top of the cake without cracking the sheet of marzipan; this is where the rose will go.
- Roll the pink marzipan out into a 7-inch-long log. Cut it into seven 1-inch pieces and roll each one out into a disk. Make a petal by taking a disk and rolling it up and then pinching one end and gently spreading the other end. Take the next disc and wrap it around the outside, pinching it at the base to connect it to the previous one. Repeat with the remaining disks until a rose is formed. Trim any excess marzipan at the bottom of the rose. Place the rose gently in the divot on top of the cake. Chill the cake for 8 hours or overnight before serving.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
