Why It Works
- Straining the custard removes lumps, ensuring a smooth, satiny pastry cream.
- Gently heating eggs and sugar helps the mixture whip to maximum volume, producing a light yet resilient sponge cake.
- Whipping cream to very stiff peaks makes it stable enough to mound into a dome beneath the marzipan.
Desserts come to us in many forms. Sometimes they’re the simple kind—no-bake bars cut into neat squares, easy to grab and eat without a thought. Other times they’re puddings meant for spooning on the couch, frozen treats to cool a hot day, or a bread pudding warm enough to chase off the chill. But then there is another category: the grand finales, desserts meant to close a meal with a flourish and linger in our memories long after the last bite. They certainly don’t come together in a jiffy; they take patience and a bit of devotion. But what you get in return is nothing short of showstopping. Few cakes embody this jaw-dropping quality more than the Swedish princess cake (prinsesstårta), with its pale green marzipan cloak, whipped-cream dome, and layers of sponge, jam, and custard.
In the United States, the princess cake has long had a small following, but has really surged in popularity in recent years. Part of its appeal is visual—the pastel-green dome revealing layers of cake, jam, and cream when sliced make it stunning on the table and irresistible in photographs, turning it into an internet darling. The ripped-from-a-fairytale name doesn’t hurt either.
Chefs have embraced the moment, putting their own spins on the classic: Pastry artist Paris Starn makes pistachio sponge cakes wrapped in pistachio marzipan, their sunken centers filled with rose petals, while in Los Angeles, Hannah Ziskin’s slices at Quarter Sheets sell out almost daily. What was once a niche Scandinavian import is now a showpiece embraced by bakeries and chefs nationwide. For our version, we wanted a cake that not only captures the fantastical look, but also tastes just as magical, and this recipe from our Birmingham-based colleague Melissa Gray-Streett does just that.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
Pastry Cream, the Cake’s Silky Core
The heart of a princess cake is a luscious layer of pastry cream. Making this custard calls for attentiveness: Sugar, cornstarch, milk, and egg yolks are whisked together, then cooked gently until the mixture thickens into a pudding-like consistency. The key here is vigilance—whisk constantly and don’t walk away. Once the mixture is removed from the heat, cubes of cold butter are whisked in for luxurious smoothness, followed by vanilla for fragrance. Straining the cream through a fine-mesh sieve ensures satiny consistency, free of lumps. The custard must then cool fully, with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. It’s not a step to rush, but the result is a velvety pastry cream with a perfectly smooth finish.
An Old-World Sponge
The cake itself is a genoise, a sponge with roots in old-world European baking. Unlike modern cakes that rely on baking powder or soda for lift, a genoise rises on the strength of eggs alone. Whole eggs and yolks are whisked with sugar over gentle heat, just until warm to the touch. That bit of warmth helps the sugar dissolve and loosens the proteins in the eggs, allowing them to whip to maximum volume—tripling in size until pale, fluffy, and almost mousse-like. Once that base is removed from the heat, flour is folded in with care. The result is a sponge that’s delicate yet resilient, perfectly suited to be sliced into thinner layers and stacked with jam, custard, and cream.
Once baked and cooled, each round is halved with a serrated knife to create four even layers. These form the stages for the cake’s dramatic interior: a thin slick of raspberry jam that’s warmed for easy spreading, followed by generous spoonfuls of pastry cream. The two fillings work in tandem—the jam bright with fruit and just tart enough to cut through the custard’s richness. The layers are stacked one over another, jam and cream alternating, until the final round is set on top, jam side down, to seal the structure.
At this point, the cake is bound together not just by sponge and custard but also by a crown of whipped cream. The cream must be beaten to very stiff peaks—firmer than you might whip for topping pie or spooning over fruit—so it can hold its shape. A thin coating goes around the sides to seal the layers, while the rest is mounded generously on top and coaxed into a smooth, rounded dome. This distinctive silhouette is the princess cake’s signature, the pillowy shape that will soon be hidden but not diminished by its marzipan veil.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
The Green Cloak
The most iconic feature of a princess cake is its green marzipan cape. Also known as grön tårta, or “green cake,” the dessert was created in the early 20th century by Swedish home economics teacher and cookbook author Jenny Åkerström, who taught the daughters of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland. The princesses—Margaretha, Märtha, and Astrid—were so fond of the confection that it became known as prinsesstårta, or “princess cake,” according to a 2025 article in The New York Times’s T Magazine.
To make the marzipan, almond flour and powdered sugar are kneaded with egg white and almond extract, then tinted with a few drops of green dye to give it the signature hue that defines the dessert. Extra powdered sugar is dusted over the counter to keep the sticky mixture from clinging as you knead and roll it out. Once rolled and draped over the whipped-cream-topped cake, the marzipan must be smoothed with care. You can use your hands to patch any small cracks, but a damp paper towel helps to finish the edges, leaving the dome seamless and polished. Enveloping confections in marzipan is an old-fashioned technique, one that makes the cake look every bit as regal as its name suggests.
The Grand Finale: Slicing and Serving
To cut into a princess cake is to reveal its secrets: tender sponge layered with jam and custard, blanketed with whipped cream, all hidden beneath a smooth marzipan dome. It’s dramatic but delicate, old-world in its technique yet timeless in its appeal. Yes, it asks for care—custard to cook, eggs to whip, marzipan to knead and drape—but the reward is a cake worthy of its name. Brought to the table, it silences the room for just a moment, before giving way to admiration and delight. Few desserts embody celebration as beautifully as this one, a true grand finale.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
This recipe was developed by Melissa Gray Streett; the headnote was written by Laila Ibrahim.
Meet Princess Cake, the Fairy-Tale Dessert That’s Actually Real
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For the Pastry Cream:
66 g (2 1/3 ounces; 1/3 cup) granulated sugar
18 g (2 tablespoons) cornstarch
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk
3 large egg yolks
43 g (1 1/2 ounces; 3 tablespoons) cold salted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cake and Jam Layers:
Baking spray (see notes)
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
248 g (8 3/4 ounces; 1 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
269 g (9 1/2 ounces; 2 1/3 cups) bleached cake flour, sifted
85 g (3 ounces; 6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
300 g (10 1/2 ounces; 1 cup) raspberry jam
For the Marzipan (see notes):
129 g (4 1/2 ounces; 1 1/3 cups) blanched almond flour
187 g (6 2/3 ounces; 1 2/3 cups) unsifted powdered sugar, plus more for work surface
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 to 3 drops mint-green gel food dye
For the Whipped Cream:
2 cups (480 ml) heavy whipping cream
28 g (1 ounce; 1/4 cup) unsifted powdered sugar, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Fresh raspberries, for serving
For the Pastry Cream: Set a fine-mesh strainer into a large heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch until well combined. Gradually whisk in milk and egg yolks until well combined. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture starts to bubble and thickens to a pudding-like consistency, 5 to 7 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cold butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Immediately strain through prepared strainer, using a flexible rubber spatula to press pudding through; discard any solids. Immediately place plastic wrap directly on surface of cream to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
For the Cake: While pastry cream cools, adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray and line bottom of each pan with parchment paper; set aside.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
Fill a medium saucepan with 1-inch water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Set bowl over pot of simmering water, ensuring bottom of bowl doesn’t touch water. Cook, whisking constantly, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of egg mixture registers 110°F (43°C), about 2 to 3 minutes.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment, and beat on high speed until mixture is pale yellow and has tripled in volume, about 3 minutes. Fold in melted butter and vanilla until combined. Fold in flour until just combined. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
Bake both pans at once on same rack until golden brown and a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, then remove and discard parchment. Allow cakes to cool completely, about 1 hour.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
For the Marzipan: While cake layers are cooling, prepare marzipan. In a large bowl, stir together almond flour and powdered sugar. Stir in egg white and almond extract until mixture is evenly combined, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a work surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Knead marzipan until smooth, about 2 minutes, lightly dusting surface with additional powdered sugar as needed to prevent sticking. Shape into a 5-inch wide disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
Once pastry cream is ready to use, with a serrated knife, cut each cake layer horizontally into 2 even layers.
For the Jam: In a small saucepan, gently warm jam, stirring occasionally; alternatively, jam can be warmed in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl.
Spread cut side of each cake layer with about 1/4 cup (75 ml) warm raspberry jam. Place one cake layer, jam side up, on a cake plate. Spread about 1/2 cup (120 ml) pastry cream over cake layer on cake plate. Repeat process with two more cake layers. Top with final cake layer, jam side down. Place a 4-inch wooden skewer through the middle of the cake. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to use.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
For the Whipped Cream: Remove skewer from cake. In a clean work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste on medium-high speed until very stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream around sides of assembled cake. Mound remaining whipped cream on top of cake, spreading to create a smooth dome. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to use.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
Knead together marzipan and 2 to 3 drops food coloring on a clean surface until color is evenly distributed, about 2 to 4 minutes. Place marzipan between 2 sheets parchment paper and roll to a 15-inch wide circle. Gently remove top piece of parchment paper. Using bottom parchment paper edges, drape marzipan over cake and gently remove remaining parchment paper. Gently press marzipan down over cake, starting at the top of cake and working your way down to create a smooth dome, patching any holes, as needed. Cut away any excess and tuck ends of marzipan under cake. Use a damp paper towel to smooth out edges, if needed. Garnish with fresh raspberries and dust with additional powdered sugar. Serve.
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
Serious Eats / Robby Lozano
Special Equipment:
Medium saucepan; fine-mesh strainer; large heatproof bowl; 2 (8-inch) cake pans; instant-read thermometer; stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment; 4-inch wooden skewers; rolling pin
Notes:
Unlike cooking spray, which contains only oil, baking spray is a combination of oil and flour. The flour helps delicate baked goods like cakes release without sticking, so you don’t need to grease and flour the pan separately.
You can substitute 2 (7-ounce) packages of store-bought marzipan; roll according to recipe instructions.
Make-Ahead and Storage:
The marzipan can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Let it come to room temperature before rolling.
The cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day.
The pastry cream can be refrigerated in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface for up to 1 day.
The assembled Princess Cake can be refrigerated, loosely covered, for up to 3 days.
