Princess cake
{{short description|Traditional Swedish layer cake}}
{{Infobox prepared food
| name = Princess cake
| image = File:PrinsesstårtaCrop.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Traditional Swedish prinsesstårta
| alternate_name = Prinsesstårta, Grön tårta, Prinstårta, Prinsessbakelse
| country = Sweden
| region =
| creator = Jenny Åkerström
| course =
| type = Cake
| served =
| main_ingredient = Sponge cake, whipped cream, raspberries, pastry cream, marzipan, powdered sugar
| variations =
| calories =
| other =
}}
Princess cake or Princess Torte{{Cite book |last=Melody Favish |title=Swedish Cakes and Cookies |date=17 June 2008 |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing Inc. |isbn=978-1-60239-262-5 |pages=the Page: 156, or see the index in the section (Cakes and Tortes) |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Greg Patent |title=A Baker's Odyssey: Celebrating Time-honored Recipes from America's Rich Immigrant Heritage |date=2007 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-7645-7281-4 |pages=289 |language=en}} ({{langx|sv|prinsesstårta}}) is a traditional Swedish layer cake or torte consisting of alternating layers of airy sponge cake, pastry cream, and a thick-domed layer of whipped cream. The cake is covered by a layer of rolled marzipan, giving it a smooth, rounded top. The marzipan overlay is usually green, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and often decorated with a pink marzipan rose.{{cite web|url= https://www.thespruceeats.com/princess-cake-prinsesstarta-2952679 |title = Prinsesstårta: Swedish Princess Cake
|website= thespruceeats.com |access-date=March 1, 2020}} While the original recipe did not contain any fruit, modern versions usually include layers of jam or fresh fruit, usually raspberries.
Origin and name
The original recipe first appeared in the 1948 Prinsessornas kokbok cookbook, which was published by Jenny Åkerström (1867–1957), teacher of the three daughters of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland.{{Cite web
| url = http://semiswede.com/2011/09/21/princess-cake-demystified-prinsesstarta/
| title = Princess cake demystified (prinsesstårta)
| access-date = 2015-05-31
| date = 2011-09-21
}}
The cake was originally called grön tårta (green cake), but was given the name prinsesstårta or "princess cake" because the Swedish princesses were said to have been especially fond of the cake. The princesses were Princess Margaretha (1899–1977; later Princess of Denmark), Princess Märtha (1901–1954; later Crown Princess of Norway), and Princess Astrid (1905–1935; later Queen of the Belgians).{{Cite web| url =http://www.cisionwire.se/frodinge-mejeri/traditionsenlig-tartfrossa---prinsessyra-baddar-for-prinsesstartans-vecka-2| title =Traditionsenlig tårtfrossa - Prinsessyra bäddar för prinsesstårtans vecka| access-date =2009-12-19| date =2009-09-17| publisher =Cisionwire| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20101017062034/http://www.cisionwire.se/frodinge-mejeri/traditionsenlig-tartfrossa---prinsessyra-baddar-for-prinsesstartans-vecka-2| archive-date =2010-10-17| language =sv| url-status =dead}}
| url = http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2008/11/12/royal-dilemma-why-is-the-princess-cake-green.html
| title = Royal Dilemma: Why is the Princess Cake Green?
| access-date = 2012-08-20
| date = 2008-11-12
}}
| url = http://www.bakingobsession.com/2009/02/24/swedish-princess-cake/
| title = Swedish Princess Cake
| access-date = 2014-01-26
| author = Vera
| date = 2009-02-24
}}
Variants with other colours of marzipan are occasionally called prinstårta (prince cake) for yellow marzipan and operatårta (opera cake) for red or pink marzipan.
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File:PrincessCake.jpg|Individual serving size
File:Princess cake in Gothenburg (6495006173) (cropped).jpg|Pink and gold
File:Princess cake with flower (cropped).jpg|Green with marzipan rose
File:Princess cake Christmas style at Konditori Brogyllen in -gothenburg -gothenburgxmas (6481082135).jpg|Decorated with a Christmas theme
See also
- Frog cake, a broadly similar Australian dessert
- List of almond dishes
- List of cakes
References
{{reflist}}
{{Cakes}}
{{Portal bar|Food}}