If there's one cake that makes a Swede go quiet with nostalgia, it's the Prinsesstårta — the princess cake. Soft sponge, vanilla custard, raspberry jam and a cloud of whipped cream, all tucked under a smooth dome of green marzipan with a single pink rose on top.
Born in a cookery school
The cake dates back to 1930s Sweden, where it appeared in a home economics book written by Jenny Åkerström — teacher to three real Swedish princesses. The story goes that the young royals loved the cake so dearly it took their name. Originally it was simply 'green cake'; the princesses gave it its romance.
Why green?
The colour is pure tradition now, but that pale, almost dreamy green is part of why the cake feels so distinctly Swedish. Slice into it and the layers appear like a little landscape: golden sponge, ruby jam, pale custard, and that generous dome of cream the marzipan has to stretch over.
My version, made to order
I make mine entirely from scratch, and it's genuinely my favourite cake to build. Because of the custard and cream, it needs at least ten days' notice and is best eaten fresh — but few cakes reward the effort quite like it. It's elegant, a little old-fashioned, and perfect for a special fika.
Some cakes are about spectacle. The Prinsesstårta is about memory.