Equipment
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g baking powder
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- 30 ml whole milk
Vanilla Custard
- 250 ml whole milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 20 g cornstarch
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 20 g unsalted butter, room temperature
Filling and Topping
- 500 g fresh strawberries, hulled
- 500 ml heavy cream, cold
- 30 g powdered sugar
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 427 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 28 g
- Sodium
- 111 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 198 mg
- Potassium
- 210 mg
- Calcium
- 123 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 19 mg
- Phosphorus
- 149 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 304 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 30 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.29 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 120 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter a 20cm round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a stand mixer, beat the whole eggs and 150g granulated sugar on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale, and leaves a ribbon trail when the whisk is lifted.
Sift the all-purpose flour and baking powder over the whipped egg mixture. Use a flexible spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients until just combined, being careful not to deflate the air.
Combine the 30g melted butter and 30ml milk. Gently fold this warm liquid into the cake batter until thoroughly incorporated but still airy.
Pour the batter into the prepared 20cm cake pan. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the custard, whisk 250ml milk, egg yolks, 50g granulated sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens.
Remove the custard from the heat. Whisk in 5ml vanilla extract and 20g room temperature butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly against the surface, and chill.
Take half of the fresh strawberries (250g) and mash them roughly with a fork in a mixing bowl to release their juices. Slice the remaining 250g of strawberries for the top garnish.
In a large mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and 5ml vanilla extract until it holds stiff peaks.
Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the completely cooled sponge cake horizontally to create three even layers.
Place the bottom cake layer on a serving platter. Spread the chilled vanilla custard evenly over the surface.
Place the middle cake layer on top of the custard. Spread the mashed strawberries over this layer, followed by a thin layer of the whipped cream.
Place the final cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream. Arrange the sliced fresh strawberries decoratively over the top.
Transfer the assembled cake to the refrigerator to rest and set for at least 30 minutes before serving. This softens the sponge and melds the flavors.
Chef's Notes
- For the ultimate light sponge, beat the eggs and sugar to the 'ribbon stage' where the mixture falls back on itself and holds a trail for at least three seconds. Do not rush this step.
- Assembling the cake a few hours in advance allows the sponge to absorb the natural juices from the mashed strawberries, drastically improving the texture and flavor.
- When making the custard, whisk continuously and vigorously as it reaches a boil. Cornstarch needs to boil for one minute to fully activate and cook out the starchy flavor.
- Using cold equipment (chilling the bowl and whisk) will help the heavy cream whip faster and yield a more stable frosting.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight cake dome to prevent the cream from absorbing fridge odors.
Troubleshooting
Sponge cake falls flat or is very dense.
Cause: The egg and sugar mixture was not beaten long enough, or the air was knocked out during folding.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Repurpose the dense cake by cubing it and making a trifle.
Prevention: Whip eggs to the ribbon stage and use a very gentle folding motion when incorporating the flour.
Vanilla custard is lumpy.
Cause: The cornstarch was not fully dissolved initially, or the mixture was not whisked vigorously enough while boiling.
Fix: Pass the hot custard through a fine mesh sieve before chilling to remove lumps.
Prevention: Whisk continuously scraping the bottom and sides of the pan while heating.
Whipped cream is grainy or separated.
Cause: The cream was over-whipped, turning the fat into butter.
Fix: If caught early, fold in a few tablespoons of unwhipped cold heavy cream. If fully separated into butter, it cannot be fixed for frosting.
Prevention: Watch closely as the cream reaches stiff peaks and finish whisking by hand.
Cultural Context
Known as Gräddtårta or Midsommartårta, this cream cake is the undisputed crown jewel of Swedish Midsummer celebrations and birthdays. Historically, the abundance of fresh strawberries and rich dairy signaled the arrival of warmer months, making this dessert a cherished ode to the brief, beautiful Nordic summer.
