A celebratory cake that makes me feel like a princess.
Prior to truly moving to Sweden, I enrolled myself into a three-month Swedish beginners class at Folkuniversitetet. Here, I've learned not only about the language but also a little bit about traditions and culture of the Swedes.
Of course, one of the tradition we learned was the way the Swedes celebrate birthdays. My teacher taught us the birthday song, "Ja må han/hon leva".
Apparently on your birthday, you will be greeted with a prinsesstårta at around 6am in your bedroom whilst your friends or family sing you the birthday song. Imagine waking up to that!!
As for myself, I don't really celebrate my birthday because I forget my birthday! Signs of old age..hahaha....But there was one year that I was reminded of my birthday and I decided to buy me a prinsesstårta from the supermarket instead from the konditori. The ones from the konditori certainly taste more delicious but they can be a little too big for just 2 persons.
This photo was taken when I had fika with Micke at Rättvik. The prinsesstårta is from Fricks Konditori looks sooOOOO tempting....
Of all at the ready-to-eat prinsesstårtor sold in the supermarkets, I highly HIGHLY recommend the ones from Frödinge. They have the closest taste to the ones baked from the konditorier.
Other than the prinsesstårta, I have tried their kladkaka, äppelpaj and OSTKAKA!!! OMG!!
They are all D.I.V.I.N.E!!
History of Prinsesstårta
Jenny Åkerström
Born on June 7th 1867 in Lohärad in Uppland, Johanna Antonia ( Jenny ) Åkerström-Söderström was a Swedish food writer and a renowned home economics teacher.
She has written many articles for Bonniers Veckotidning (Bonnier's Weekly), Vecko-Journalen and Bonniers Månadstiding (Bonnier's Monthly). She had a famous school for girls in Stockholm called Jenny Åkerströms Husmordersskolan (School for Housewives) where the three Swedish princesses: Princess Margaretha, Astrid and Märtha (daughters of Prince Carl) were among the students. Prince Carl was the brother of King Gustav V, by the way.
Åkerström had also published many cookbooks including the Prinsessornas kökbok which was so popular that it had made eight releases. It was not until 1948 that a recipe for "Green cake" appeared.
Sveriges Bagare och Konditorier (Association of Swedish Bakers and Confectioners) confirmed that the cake was renamed "prinsesstårta" because the princesses loved it so much. A clever move indeed. More appealing, don't you think?
This cake is so well-loved that every year about 500 000 were sold in Sweden alone!
"The third week in September is officially prinsesstårta week. For every prinsesstårta purchased in Sweden during this period 10sek ($1.50) is donated to Kronprinsessans Victorias Fond (Crown Princess Victoria's Fund) that benefits chronically ill and disabled children and adolescents in Sweden." - Semiswede
I have never tried baking this cake because I am too lazy to bake it...hehe...I guess I am born to just EAT this cake! :D
HOW TO:
For further reading about prinsesstårta:
Semiswede: Princess cake demystified (prinsesstårta)
The Culture trip: The Swedish Princess Cake