Kvæfjordkake
Ingredients
- 112 g (½ cup) butter
- 125 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tbsp milk
- 150 g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar
- 4 egg whites
- 200 g (1 cup) sugar, for the meringue
- 50 g (½ cup) sliced almonds
- 55 g (¼ cup) sugar, 2 egg yolks, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 500 ml whole milk and ½ vanilla pod (or 1 tsp extract), for the custard
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) heavy cream
Created by two sisters at a café in Harstad in the 1930s and voted Norway's national cake in 2002, kvæfjordkake stacks three textures in one bake. A butter sponge made with egg yolks is spread thinly on a tray, then a meringue of the leftover whites and sugar is spread over the raw batter and scattered with sliced almonds. Both bake together until the meringue is dry and golden. The sheet is cut in half and filled with a vanilla custard folded into whipped cream, and the cake is chilled so the layers settle before slicing.
Method
Heat the oven to 165°C (325°F) and grease and line a 30 x 40 cm rimmed baking sheet. Whisk the butter and sugar until light, then add the yolks one at a time and the milk. Fold in the flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar and spread the batter evenly over the sheet.
Whisk the egg whites until foamy, add the sugar gradually and whisk to stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the raw batter, lift it into peaks with a spoon and scatter the almonds on top.
Bake for 30 minutes until the meringue is dry and golden. Cool completely on the sheet.
For the custard, whisk the sugar, yolks and cornstarch. Warm the milk with the vanilla, whisk it slowly into the yolk mixture, return to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick. Cool completely.
Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it into the cooled custard.
Cut the cooled cake in half across. Place one half meringue-side down on a serving tray, spread all the custard cream over it and top with the second half, meringue-side up.
Chill for at least 1 hour before slicing. Keeps covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.
