On any celebration table in Norway you can always find a Norwegian layer cake (bløtkake).  A layer cake is just berries and cream between layers of vanilla sponge.  There are two main types of layer cakes that are particularly used for Norwegian Constitution Day – Cream Cake and Marzipan Cake.  The Marzipan and Cream cakes are basically the same except one uses marzipan as a covering and the other cream.

I find that the layer cake has a very similar approach as to the Norwegian soup Lapskaus – anything goes.  Whatever you have in the pantry or fridge will do – canned peaches, fresh strawberries or frozen blue berries.  You can even use any type of jam too.  There is also a toss up between cream and custard, or a little of both.  (Some recipes say to use custard – I’m sure fancy shops might use this but I have never come across it in home-made layer cakes… yet.)

The No-fuss Norwegian Style Recipe
(Set recipes below)

Firstly, you need a vanilla sponge cake sliced into three horizontally.  In Norway we can buy this cake already cut at the store.  The store bought ones aren’t as fresh as home-made sponge cakes and therefore are very good at soaking up the juice.  Of course, you can make your own sponge cake but if it is too fresh it will be hard to work with and won’t soak up the juices as well.  Maybe you can leave it out on the counter for half a day to dry it out a little?  (But guard it well…lol.)

Prepare your filling: jam, or chop canned peaches or fresh berries, or defrost frozen berries.  The most typical Norwegian fruit to use are Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries or sometimes Cowberries.  We like to use frozen raspberries for colour and a tangy taste.  They are available all year round and have a yummy syrupy-mush consistency which mixes well with the cream.

Whip the cream with a little sugar and vanilla essence.  (Keep a third of the cream mixture aside for the topping if you are making the Cream Cake.)

To construct: Place bottom cake layer on a presentation plate.  Sprinkle juice over the bottom layer: usually orange, apple or home-made juice from fresh berries.  Spread filling on top: If using fruit pieces/berries, mix into the cream and spread onto the cake layer.  (Red berries make a beautiful pink colour.)  If using jam, spread it on the cake first then spread on the cream.

Place on the second cake layer and repeat.  Place on the third layer and sprinkle the juice on top…

For Cream Cake: Spread the saved third of cream on top and on the sides of the cake.  Decorate with fruit and more cream.

For Marzipan Cake: Spread a little bit of cream on top and on the sides of the cake (to help the marzipan settle and for easy cut and serve).  Roll out marzipan nice and thin – large enough to cover the whole cake.  We use a little icing sugar to help roll out the marzipan and stop it from sticking.  Place marzipan shell on top, trim off excess and decorate with coloured marzipan shapes, cream, fruit or melted chocolate patterns.

Our Bløtkake Recipes

There are so many different ways to make these cakes but if you really need a ‘set’ recipe you can make our yummy Cream Cake or Marzipan Cake (the ones in the pics) by following the directions below:

Our Home-made Cream Cake

My Little Norway
Cream Cake

This cake is aboslutley divine.  The custard mixture turns into a natural sauce and the raspberries and kiwi fruit on top adds a tang.

Ingredients:
Sponge Cake

Filling:
Cup of milk
300mls whipping cream
100mls vanilla custard (runny)
2 tablespoons of sugar
4 drops of vanilla essence
250gram pack of frozen Raspberries (defrosted)

Topping:
Sliced fruit -
banana, strawberries, kiwi – to decorate

Method:
Whip cream while adding sugar and vanilla.  Save a half of the cream for top layer.  Fold in vanilla custard.  Cut cake horizontally into three even layers.  Place bottom layer on presentation plate.  Spoon milk onto layer to lightly moisten cake.  Spoon on half the custard mixture and spread to the edges.  Spoon (plopp) on half raspberry fruit all over.

Place second layer on top.  Spoon on milk.  Spread on the rest of the custard mixture to edges.  Spoon on the rest of the raspberries.  Place top cake layer on top.  Spoon on milk.  Spread the saved cream on top and on the sides of the cake.

Decorate with sliced fruit.  Let to rest for an hour.  Keep in the fridge.

What is marzipan?
Marzipan (marsipan in Norwegian) is an icing made from almonds, icing sugar and milk.  You can buy marzipan in stores that sell good cake making ingredients.  It usually comes in a tube (like cookie dough).  You can make it yourself but it is a very tedious job.  Marzipan is very good for moulding, you can colour it with fool dye, and is even good to eat on its own.

Our Home-made Marzipan Cake

My Little Norway
Marzipan Cake

The mazipan goes fabulously with the cream and spong.  Strong flavoured berries balance the almond  taste.

Ingredients:
Sponge Cake

Filling:
Cup of apple juice
300mls whipping cream
2 tablespoons of sugar
4 drops of vanilla essence
250gram pack of frozen Raspberries (defrosted)

Topping:
300grams marzipan
250grams Strawberries
Icing sugar

Method:
Whip cream while adding sugar and vanilla.  Save a third of the cream for top layer.  Fold in raspberries to the rest of the cream.  Cut cake horizontally into three even layers.  Place bottom layer on presentation plate.  Spoon apple juice onto layer to lightly moisten cake.  Spoon on and spread half of the raspberry mixture to edges.

Place second layer on top.  Spoon on apple juice.  Spread on the rest of the raspberry mixture to edges.  Place top cake layer on top.  Spoon on apple juice.  Spread thinly the saved cream on top and on the sides of the cake.

Roll out marzipan into a thin, large circle to cover cake.  Use icing sugar for non-stick.  Cut a small, even cross in the centre of the marzipan.  Place the marzipan over the cake making sure all sides are covered.  Fold back the triangles made from the cross cut to create a star pattern.

Cut half the strawberries into cubes.  Place inside the star pattern in the marzipan.  Place whole strawberries on top.  Dust cake with icing sugar.  Let to rest for an hour.  Keep in the fridge.

Enjoy!