What is a "Danish Layer Cake"?

[mpshort]

The bride has requested this for an upcoming wedding cake. The way the MOB described it: " white cake split and filled w/custard and raspberry jam". Is it really a white cake or some sort of sponge? Is it jam or raspberry filling (not too sweet)? TIA!

[sanrensho]

This sounds like what you describe:

http://recipecircus.com/recipes/mbrook/CAK...Layer_Cake.html

If you do a Google search with the keywords "danish" "layer" "cake" you will find lots of links.

[KarenS]

I've also heard them called princess cakes- white cake w/ raspberry jam, covered with whipped cream that is domed on top. The whole cake is wrapped in tinted (pale green, pink) marzipan. My cousin had this for her wedding cake.

[Trishiad]

I thought the Princess cake was Swedish? It's my mom's fav and eating it every year for her birthday makes me want to kill myself!

[KarenS]

I think that is is both Swedish and Danish. My cousin married a Danish guy.

[Mette]

The bride has requested this for an upcoming wedding cake.  The way the MOB described it: " white cake split and filled w/custard and raspberry jam".  Is it really a white cake or some sort of sponge?  Is it jam or raspberry filling (not too sweet)?  TIA!

←

Being Danish and all, I thought I'd better add my bit here

A danish layer cake is (typically, but the variations are endless) 3 layers of sponge with pastry cream (sometimes lightened with whipped cream) and fresh strawberries or strawberry jam or raspberry jam. The layer of jam is quite thin, so the sweetness doesn't get to overpowering (homemade is of course optimal.....I know this is not often an option). There will be jam and pastry cream between each layer. The cake can either be covered completely in marcipan or just have the top covered in marcipan, with the sides covered with piped whipped cream. For a wedding the decoration will be marcipan roses. Similar cakes are made for birthdays (decorated with little danish flags and candles) or just for a fancy dessert. The layer cakes ar delicious but the flavour really hinges on a good quality pastry cream. And as cake recipes and traditions travel across oceans, they sometimes change radically, so what is a traditional danish layer cake in Denmark may be completely different in the States.

The really traditional danish wedding cake is a 'kransekage' either as a top or as a cornucopia, which is marcipan mixed with icing sugar and egg whites, shaped into rings, baked and assembled into the appropriate shape, Here are some examples, the images ar clickable (from one of the best patisseries in Denmark).

A prinsessekage (princess cake) is typically two layers of sponge with pastry cream and optional jam between, assembled in a bowl to get a domed shape. After unmoldning, the cake is covered in green tinted marcipan.

Hope this helps a bit.

[KarenS]

You put the marzipan in the bowl first before unmolding (or you would never have the "dome of whipped cream". This is meaning- a sheet of rolled out tinted marzipan.

I've made princess cakes as wedding cakes, and the more pastry version.. Let me know if you need more help!

[caobao]

Being Danish, too, but short of Mette's descriptive account, I thought I'd post an image of the typical layer cake my mom would whip up for our birthdays. Complete with flags.

[kanljung]

Princess cakes are very common in Sweden too.

Layer cakes similar to the danish ones are common in Sweden as well. The swedish ones are likely to be topped with fruit or berries instead of marzipan though.

[oraklet]

here's a link to the place where you get the absolutely best layer cakes in denmark,

http://www.laglace.dk/page.php?alias=lagkager

my own favourite being the "appelsinlagkage": sides covered with marzipan, orange flavoured sugar icing(?) on top, orange flavoured pastry creme between layers, and the bottom is a crunchy layer of some caramelly stuff i don't know what is called in english (macaroon?) and, if i remember rightly, raspberry jam. the orange slices on top are, of course, sugar glazed. oh yes, and whipped cream around the top.

insanely expensive, but worth it.

Edited August 9, 2005 by oraklet (log)

[Swisskaese]

Those cakes look amazing. It is a good thing I missed this pastry shoppe the last time I was in Denmark.

Edited August 9, 2005 by Swisskaese (log)