Swedish Summer Cake

So many strawbs..

Here comes the sun! Quick, run outside before it disappears again.

Probably my favourite thing about this time of year is the fact that big juicy strawberries are coming back into the shops. And I love cooking with strawbs. Of course, you can just wash them, dip them in sugar and eat straight from a bowl. Clearly that is perfectly acceptable.

But if you want to get slightly more impressive, look no further. This is a take on a traditional cake that you’d get in Sweden in the summer time, of course inspired from a delicious Nigella recipe. Incidentally, it comes right beside my favourite cake recipe of all time, coffee and walnut cake.

It’s a bit fiddly, and there are a few stages, but they are easily broken down into manageable parts. I think the hardest part is slicing the cake, and I did wimp out in the end and just slice it into two rather than the recommended three. But even if it breaks, or cracks, slather it with whipped cream and all will be well. That’s pretty much my life motto.

Slight confession: I was fairly tipsy taking these "sliced" photos

Cuts into approx 8-10 slices

Ingredients for the custard

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 x15ml tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour/potato flour
• 250ml full fat milk
• 2 tsp vanilla sugar

Ingredients for the cake

• 3 eggs
• 250mg caster sugar
• 90ml water from a recently boiled kettle
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 150g pain flour
• Butter for greasing

Ingredients for finishing

• 550g strawberries
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 500ml double cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar

 
Method

First, prepare the custard. For some reason I forgot to get photos of this stage.

Put everything in a pot and stir until starts to thicken, over a low to medium heat. DO NOT LET IT BOIL. When beginning to thicken (about 5 minutes over a cautious heat), remove from heat, transfer into a cooled bowl, and stir until slightly cooled. Then cover with cling film, pressing to the surface to prevent a skin developing. Place in the fridge and only use when totally cooled.

Next, prepare the cake, and heat the oven to 180 degrees.

Place the eggs in a bowl with the sugar and whisk with a handheld whisk until pale and doubled in size. 

Then gently whisk in the cooled boiled water.

Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl and gradually whisk these in.

This is about the size and texture

Don't pull the whisk out before you turn it off.. Rookie mistake.

And this is another reason why we should wear aprons

Scrape into a prepared (greased and lined) springform cake tin and bake for 30 minutes, untol golden and well risen.

Full disclosure, I got distracted and left mine in the oven for closer to 40 minutes, and it still turned out ok!

 

Let stand for 10 minutes then carefully unmould and let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Once cooled, assemble the cake. This is the fiddly-est part. You just have to be brave and start slicing.

Start by macerating the strawberries slightly. Take 400g, hull and slice them into 4 (not quartering, you want thinner slices than that). Place in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar and leave for about 15 minutes.

While that is happening, whisk the cream and fold half of it into the previously prepared custard. Set aside the other half for decorating the top.

Now, take your bread knife, and carefully slice the cake into two or three layers. I was too chicken to attempt three on this occasion, but next time I’ll be brave and just do it.

Wimping out by only slicing into two

Top one layer of the cake with the  cream and custard mixture and then spread the strawberries on top. If using another middle layer, place on top of this and repeat the layering.

For the top layer, place on top of the strawberry layer and spread with whipped cream, then arrange the remaining 150g strawberries on top, as artfully as you can manage.

It doesn't have to look perfect, that's the beauty of this cake.

Slice and serve to grateful friends.