Classic strawberry cake ('Jordgubbstårta') – recipe

Approximately 6 pieces.

Ingredients: 

Sponge cake:

• 4 eggs
• 140 g of caster sugar
• 2 dl self-raising flour
• 25 g melted butter

Vanilla cream:

• 6 egg yolks
• 6 dl double cream
• 6 dl standard milk standard milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• 3 tbsp of caster sugar
• 4 tsp cornstarch

Garnish:

• 5 dl double cream
• 1-1.5 litres of strawberries (alternatively, half can be frozen strawberries)
• 3 dl roasted chopped nuts and almonds (mix them)
• 15-20 small meringues
• Icing sugar

Method:

1. Start by making the sponge cake. Grease and flour (or line) a round tin with removable edges (about 24 cm in diameter). Add egg and caster sugar to a bowl that fits in a saucepan with water. Bring the water to the bowl meanwhile whisking the eggs and sugar. Whisk and heat the batter until it is about 60°C (140°F). Measure with a kitchen thermometer. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and continue whisking (or mix it in a stand mixer) at low speed until the mixture is cooled down and you have a white and fluffy egg batter. It takes about 10 minutes. Sift and fold down the flour, 1/3 at a time, in the batter (use a spatula). Finally, fold in butter into the egg batter. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake in the middle of the oven at 180°C (355°F) for about 30 minutes or until the cake is set. Allow the cake to cool completely, loosen the tin sides and cover the cake with plastic or a kitchen towel. Don't be afraid that the cake will be dry, it's even better if you bake this the day before. 
2. Now make the vanilla cream. Mix everything in a saucepan (add both seeds and the scraped bean from the vanilla pod) and boil on medium heat while stirring. Boil until the mixture thickens, then pass it through a fine sieve. Pour the sauce into a clean bowl and place it in a cold water bath. Whisk the sauce until it has cooled down and is nice and thick. You might have to change the water in the water bath to cool it quicker. Vanilla cream can be prepared 1-2 days before making the actual cake. 
3. Divide the sponge cake into three parts (use a long sharp knife, such as a fillet knife). Take the first bottom of the sponge cake and put it on the cake stand (cut wide strips of parchment paper and lay them around, they can then be removed when the cake is finished). Spread a layer of vanilla cream over the bottom cake, and divide strawberries cut into pieces on top. Add another part of the cake (the middle one). Add whipped cream to this layer, and some more strawberries cut into pieces. Place the top layer of the cake on top of this, but turn it upside down so that you have the cut side up. Add a big dollop of whipped cream and spread it over the whole cake, both top and sides. Put the meringues in a ring around the top of the cake. Spread out strawberries (either whole or divided into 2 or 4 pieces depending on their size) in the middle and top with toasted, chopped nuts. If possible, put some nuts on the sides of the cake as well. Sift some icing sugar on top before serving. 
4. The strawberry cake is lovely to serve after 1-2 hours, but it is also really nice the day after when it gets a bit juicy. However, it looks better on the same day.
   

Recipe by Lisa Lemke