Here is the best Swedish midsummer cake - klassisk Jordgubbstårta, or classic Swedish strawberry cake. With vanilla cream and strawberry filling sandwiched between layers of light sponge, this cake is stunning and delicious.
Have you ever wondered if classic strawberry cake still exists? With endless variations from Victoria Sponge to Chantilly strawberry cake and Japanese strawberry shortcake, it is easy to get lost.
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Jordgubbstårta is a Swedish specialty, a classic old man cake. It is easy to make, does not require fancy ingredients, and is just as good as a strawberry cake should be.
Jordgubbstårta recipe
- Jordgubbstårta recipe (Jordgubbstårta recept) is easy and quick to make.
- It is a classic midsummer cake (klassisk midsommartårta) made in Sweden from the middle of June to the beginning of August. So there is no best time to bring seasonal strawberries to the table.
- Finally, the authentic Swedish strawberry cake is perfect for a gathering party, birthday, and another special occasion.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature. Bring them to the kitchen counter about 45-60 minutes before you start.
- Sugar: Use white granulated and icing (powdered) sugar. To make the perfect Chantilly cream, opt for icing sugar. To turn granulated sugar into icing sugar, process it in a coffee grinder or a food processor.
- Flour: The recipe calls for all-purpose flour. You can use cake if desired.
- Cornstarch is used as a thickener to make vanilla custard cream.
- Milk: Opt for whole milk for the best results.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, and cut it into small cubes.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract is added to the sugar syrup, while vanilla bean paste is used for making vanilla custard cream.
- Cream: Choose heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content in a grocery store. It must be cold, being refrigerated for at least 3 hours.
- Fresh strawberries are the stars of this Swedish strawberry cake. Choose perfectly ripe seasonal berries for the best flavors and taste.
- Banana is used for making fruit filling. Opt for a yellow ripe banana.
Recipe variations
- Play with fruit and cream layers. For example, switch the strawberry and pastry cream layers. Or omit strawberry filling and sandwich the sponge exclusively with vanilla pastry cream. As an added touch of sweetness, distribute the sliced bananas or fresh strawberries on top of the cream.
- Replace strawberry and banana filling with classic strawberry jam mixed with mashed fresh strawberries (1 tablespoon of jam for 1 lb. (454 g) of strawberries), mashed bananas, lemon curd, or Nutella.
- Instead of a three-layer cake, make a two-layer cake filled with vanilla cream and mashed strawberries.
- Soak the sponge cake layers with simple sugar syrup, or flavor it with strawberry liqueur, dark rum, etc. Consider using fruit juice or juice extracted from canned fruit for a kid-friendly variation.
- Swap strawberries for raspberries for a raspberry cake, black currants for black currant cake, or other berries such as blueberries and more.
How to make Jordgubbstårta
Step 1. To make sponge cake, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Butter and flour an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake mold. Beat the eggs and sugar with a hand whisk for a minute.
Pro tip: Consult the Pan di Spagna recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 2. Bring the egg mixture in a heat-prove bowl over a bain-marie or water bath. Heat the mixture to 104°F (40°C), constantly beating with the balloon whisk.
Step 3. Remove from the water bath and whisk with an electric or stand mixer for 10-15 minutes until whitish.
Step 4. Fold in sifted all-purpose flour with a rubber spatula, carefully working from the bottom of the bowl.
Step 5. Pour the batter into the prepared mold. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Pro tip: Check with a toothpick that the cake is ready before taking it out of the oven.
Step 6. Allow to cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the tin and allow it to cool down on a wire rack.
Step 7. To make vanilla cream, mix egg yolks, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Heat milk over medium-high heat in a saucepan.
Pro tip: Consult the Italian pastry cream recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 8. Once almost boiling, pour milk over the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly.
Step 9. Bring the preparation back into the saucepan, and simmer the mixture, stirring, until it thickens into a cream.
Step 10. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cream to a clean bowl. Add the cubed butter to the hot cream and mix. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow to cool to room temperature.
Step 11. To assemble the cake, mash banana with strawberries using a potato masher or a fork and set aside (photo 1).
Step 12. Bring the water with sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add vanilla extract out of the heat and let the sugar syrup cool.
Step 13. Adjust a mousse cake mold to 8 inches (20 cm) and line it with an acetate cake collar. Place it on a cake board or a serving plate.
Step 14. Cut the cake into three layers with a serrated knife or a cake leveler. Put the first cake layer, soak it with sugar syrup, and cover it with the strawberry filling (photo 2).
Step 15. Place the next cake layer, soak it, and fill it with the vanilla cream, spreading it evenly (photo 3).
Pro tip: Don't oversoak the cake layers to avoid unwanted sogginess. This is particularly important when using a strawberry filling as it releases additional fruit juices.
Step 16. Add the last cake layer. Cover the cake mold with cling film and refrigerate the cake for 2-3 hours or overnight.
Step 17. Use a hand mixer to whip heavy cream with icing sugar until medium-stiff peaks.
Pro tip: Consult the Chantilly cream recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 18. Take the cake out of the fridge, and remove the mold and acetate film. Spread a layer of sweetened whipped cream on top. Cover the sides of the cake with cream using an offset spatula (photo 4).
Step 19. Transfer the remaining cream to a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco pastry tip 829. Pipe the cream on top of the cake.
Step 20. Wash and pat dry strawberries; then hull them. Decorate the cake with strawberries, edible leaves, and flowers: marigold leaves, purple lavender, mint, lilac, marguerite, pansies, forget-me-nots, etc.
Expert Tips
- Consider preparing Genoise cake as an alternative to the traditional sponge cake.
- Don't skip the chilling of the cake before covering it with sweetened whipped cream. The cake filled with strawberry filling and vanilla custard cream must be set for a few hours.
- Garnish the cake with fresh strawberries before serving to preserve the freshness of the berries on top.
- Recalculate ingredients for cake pans of different sizes using this simple cake pan size converter.
- Make ahead option: Bake sponge cake in the evening and store it covered with plastic wrap at room temperature. Finish the cake the next day. Or fill the cake with fruit and cream fillings and refrigerate the cake overnight. The next day, finish the cake with cream and red fruit.
Storing and freezing
Store Jordgubbstårta under a glass dome in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep the leftover cake in an airtight container refrigerated.
Can you freeze it? Freezing an assembled Swedish strawberry cake is not recommended, but you can bake the sponge cake ahead and freeze it for up to 1 month.
Recipe FAQ
Jordgubbstårta is a classic Swedish strawberry cake made with soft sponge cake, vanilla cream, and strawberry filling and topped with sweetened whipped cream fresh strawberries.
Midsommartårta means midsummer cake in English.
Love sponge cakes? Try these next!
- Berry Cake
- Italian Mimosa Cake
- Chaja Cake
- Italian Mimosa Cake
- Vanilla Meringue Cake
- Fresh Fruit Cake
- Or browse all the cake recipes
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PrintRecipe card
Jordgubbstårta (Swedish Strawberry Cake)
This Swedish midsummer cake Jordgubbstårta, or Swedish strawberry cake, is made with three layers of light sponge cake and filled with luscious pastry cream and strawberry filling. It is generously covered with Chantilly cream and topped with fresh strawberries.
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Swedish
Ingredients
For the sponge cake:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoon (120) g granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup + 4 ½ tablespoons (120 g) all-purpose flour
For the vanilla custard cream:
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 ½ tablespoons (45 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons (14 g) cornstarch
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150 g) whole milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons (20 g) butter
For the strawberry filling:
- 1 medium-sized banana (140 g peeled banana)
- 5.3 oz. (150 g) fresh strawberries
For the sugar syrup:
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) water
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Chantilly cream:
- 2 cups + 1 ½ tablespoons (500 g) cold heavy cream, 30% fat (half for frosting and half for decoration)
- 4 tablespoons (30 g) icing sugar
For decoration:
- 7 oz. (200 g) fresh strawberries
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
**Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!
Instructions
- To make the sponge cake, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Butter and flour an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake mold. Beat the eggs and sugar with a hand whisk for a minute.
- Bring the egg mixture in a heat-prove bowl over a bain-marie or water bath. Heat the mixture to 104°F (40°C), constantly beating with the balloon whisk. Remove from the water bath and whisk with an electric or stand mixer for 10-15 minutes until whitish.
- Fold in sifted all-purpose flour with a rubber spatula, carefully working from the bottom of the bowl. Pour the batter into the prepared mold. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Check with a toothpick that the cake is ready before taking it out of the oven. Allow to cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the tin and allow it to cool down on a wire rack.
- To make vanilla custard cream, mix egg yolks, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Heat milk over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Once almost boiling, pour milk over the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Bring the preparation back into the saucepan, and simmer the mixture, stirring, until it thickens into a cream.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cream to a clean bowl. Add the cubed butter to the hot cream and mix. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow to cool to room temperature.
- To assemble the cake, mash the banana with strawberries using a potato masher or a fork and set aside. Bring the water with sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add vanilla extract out of the heat and let the sugar syrup cool.
- Adjust a mousse cake mold to 8 inches (20 cm) and line it with an acetate cake collar. Place it on a cake board or a serving plate.
- Cut the cake into three layers with a serrated knife or a cake leveler. Put the first cake layer, soak it with sugar syrup, and cover it with the strawberry filling. Place the next cake layer, soak it, and fill it with the vanilla cream, spreading it evenly. Add the last cake layer. Cover the cake mold with cling film and refrigerate the cake for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- To garnish the cake, wash and pat dry strawberries; then hull and halve them. Use a hand mixer to whip heavy cream with icing sugar until medium-stiff peaks.
- Take the cake out of the fridge, and remove the mold and acetate film. Spread a layer of sweetened whipped cream on top. Cover the sides of the cake with cream using an offset spatula.
- Transfer the remaining cream to a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco pastry tip 829. Pipe the cream on top of the cake. Garnish it with strawberries, edible leaves, and flowers: marigold leaves, purple lavender, mint, lilac, marguerite, pansies, forget-me-nots, etc.
Notes
- Consider preparing Genoise cake as an alternative to the traditional sponge cake.
- Don't oversoak the cake layers to avoid unwanted sogginess. This is particularly important when using a strawberry filling as it releases additional fruit juices.
- Don't skip the chilling of the cake before covering it with sweetened whipped cream. The cake filled with strawberry filling and vanilla custard cream must be set for a few hours.
- Garnish the cake with fresh strawberries before serving to preserve the freshness of the berries on top.
- Recalculate ingredients for cake pans of different sizes using this simple cake pan size converter.
- Make ahead option: Bake sponge cake in the evening and store it covered with plastic wrap at room temperature. Finish the cake the next day. Or fill the cake with fruit and cream fillings and refrigerate the cake overnight. The next day, finish the cake with cream and red fruit.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 498
- Sugar: 36.1 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 29.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 17.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 53.4 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 7.7 g
- Cholesterol: 238 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
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