Norwegian Cream Cake

One of my earliest memories is of my dad and I waking up early in the morning to make breakfast for my mom on Mother’s day. He had been out to buy flowers and a card that we brought in to my mom with a big cup of coffee. Later in the day my grandma would come over for dinner and we would serve a beautiful Cream cake that my mom made the day before.

Later after my grandmother passed away we would take my mom out for dinner. Always with a piece of Cream cake for dessert afterwards.

The Cream cake is one of the most popular cakes in Norway and the reason for that is its versatility.

May 17th is the Norwegian Constitution Day. It is a national holiday and we have parades, we dress in our national costumes and we eat more Cream cake than any other time in the year. If you have ever been to any Norwegian district on this day, you will know that they too celebrate May 17th there, but it is not the same as in Norway. I don’t know if you can tell, but I am homesick now. So why don’t I just share the recipe for Cream cake with you all. Here it is:

Cake

4 eggs and 4.6 oz (weight) sugar is beaten till very airy.

4.6 oz (weight) all purpose flour and 1 tsp baking powder is carefully folded into the egg and sugar mixture.

1.2 oz (weight) melted, but cooled down butter is folded in.

Pour into a well greased Baking tin with removable bottom (dia. 8 5/8", volume 2 qt at IKEA or equal to this) and put in the middle of the oven at 345 F for 25-35 minutes. Do not open the oven to early or it will fall flat, it is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

When it has cooled off you cut it into three layers.

Cream

1 lb Strawberries, cleaned and sliced up.

1 vanilla bean, take the seeds out and divide in parts of 1/3 and 2/3.

1Tbsp sugar mixed with 1/3 vanilla bean seeds.

3 1/4 cup of cream mixed with 2 Tbsp sugar and 2/3 vanilla bean seed, whipped not to much, but not runny either.

2/3 cup of Port or Cognac .

Put one of the cake layers on a cake stand, sprinkle 1/3 of the Port or Cognac all over it. Layer 1/4 of the strawberries on it, sprinkle with your homemade vanilla sugar and cover with 1/4 of the cream. Put one more layer of cake on top and repeat. When the top layer of cake is on, you sprinkle the last of the Port or Cognac over it and then cover the whole cake with the last 1/2 of the cream. Then decorate with the last 1/2 of the strawberries. Lastly you enjoy it.

To make it more kid friendly you can substitute the Port or Cognac with milk or a juice.

To make it easier you can mash 1/2 of the strawberries and fold it into the cream and put it between the cake layers.

You can also substitute the strawberries with anything else you would like. I love bananas and kiwi, or strawberries and blueberries.

Please let me know if you ever make this and tell me what you thought of it.

Recipe and picture source.