Lagkage med jordbær og marcipan – Layered cake with strawberries and marcipan

May 30, 2011 by mydanishkitchen

Lagkage med jordbær og marcipan

I have been meaning to make a real Danish Lagkage for quite some time now, but for some reason, I kept putting it off. Then I went to my friend Tina’s house for our monthly Danish meeting and she served the most wonderful Lagkage which really inspired me. Thanks Tina 🙂 The following morning I started researching Danish Lagkager and by late afternoon I had made my first ever real Danish Lagkage. The combination of fresh strawberries, crisp macaroons, sweet marcipan and light sponge cake made for an amazing combination of flavors and textures. It turned out to be a big success and it will definitely not be the last time that I make Danish Lagkage for dessert.

It can seem a little complicated to get all the right ingredients together but you can buy the sponge cake, Danish macaroons and raw marcipan on the internet and making the homemade custard really is very easy. I could have baked a sponge cake myself and cut it into thirds but this particular store-bought cake it very light and thin and actually perfect, in my opinion, for making a Lagkage. If you feel inspired to make a Lagkage, I am confident that you will not regret it.

Ingredients:

3 round sponge cakes

Custard:

2 eggs

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup milk (2 1/2 dl)

1 tsp vanilla sugar

Strawberry filling:

1 pint whipping cream (1/2 liter)

1 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

1 lb fresh strawberries (500 g)

Other fillings:

1/2 lb marcipan (250 g)

Confectioners sugar for rolling out marcipan

Danish macaroons – crumbled

small amount of chocolate – grated or shaved, for decoration

Directions:

To make the Custard – Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla sugar together in a small cooking pot. Measure out milk and add cornstarch, stir to combine. Add milk to eggs in cooking pot and while stirring constantly bring to a simmer. Custard will thicken rapidly and once you notice it bubbling remove from heat. Place custard in small dish, cover with cling wrap directly onto the custard surface to avoid a skin from forming. Place in refrigerator to cool down a little.

To make Strawberry filling – Clean strawberries under running water, cut top off and cut into half, set aside. Using an electrical mixer, whisk whipping cream until it starts to thicken a little (the beaters leave a soft track in cream). Add confectioners sugar and whisk just a little more, careful not to get whipping cream too thick. Take a little under half of strawberries and break up using a fork. Add a little under half of whipping cream to smashed strawberries and stir to combine. Set aside. Set aside the remaining half of whipped cream and strawberries.

Take marcipan and divide into 2 equal portions, roll to a ball. Sprinkle confectioners sugar onto clean tabletop and roll out balls to flat disks approximately same size as your sponge cakes. Lift from tabletop and set aside.

To assemble cake:

1. Place first sponge cake onto serving dish

2. Spread out half of custard

3. Add one disk of marcipan

4. Spread out half of strawberry filling

5. Add second sponge cake

6. Spread out remaining custard

7. Add second disk of marcipan

8. Spread out remaining strawberry filling

9. Crush a couple of crisp Danish macaroons and sprinkle over filling

10. Top with third sponge cake

11. Spread the last remaining whipped cream over top and sides of layered cake

12. Decorate with grated or shaved chocolate and remaining strawberries

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Danish Lagkage

Source: inspired by Maduniverset.dk

Posted in Danish, Dessert | Tagged cake, custard, Danish, dansk, jordbær, kagecreme, lagkage, layer cake, layered, layered cake, makroner, marcipan, sponge cake, strawberries | 19 Comments

19 Responses

on September 10, 2011 at 16:44 Michala

My mom and I just tackled making a Danish Lagkage for my birthday in August- it was beautiful and delicious, but we all talked about how much easier it would be to buy the cakes the way everyone does in Denmark. In my mom’s Danish God Mad (Good Food) cookbook we even looked for a recipe for the cake and the directions said, “Go to the store and buy the packaged cakes”! haha. Sooo…I am wondering where you ordered them from? I need them to ship to North Carolina. I am excited to have found your blog- I will have to share it with my parents. I am going to try your koldskal recipe soon for my husband who ate it 2-3 times a day with kammerjunker (I think I’ll try it with Nilla Wafers) when we visited Denmark this summer because he loved it so much!
- on September 10, 2011 at 19:33 mydanishkitchen
  
  Michala, I buy the “lagkage bunde” packaged cakes from Nordisk House and they really do make the whole process so much easier. They have them in stock right now but sometimes they run out so check back with them from time to time. Have fun.
  http://www.nordiskimport.com/category/Breads-&-Baking-Items-10
on June 14, 2011 at 06:33 Erika

What a wonderful blog you have created! And so helpful! I have been looking for danish pastry recipes for a while and I am very happy to have finally found some good ones! I am living in Copenhagen with my boyfriend right now and I am having so much fun learning the Danish Culture! (I am originally from Canada). My boyfriends birthday is on Monday, June 20 and I am DEFINATLY going to be making him this strawberry marzipan cake! MMMMMM 🙂 I just started my own blog and would love to add your blog to my list? (…as soon as I learn how!)
- on June 14, 2011 at 06:40 mydanishkitchen
  
  I am so glad your enjoying the blog and thank you for your kind words. Enjoy Copenhagen, it’s such a wonderful city. And yes, go right ahead and add me to your blog if you like. I’ll have to check out your blog!
  - on June 14, 2011 at 15:04 Erika
    
    I am just learning about the blogging world, so its not much yet, but its getting there!
    http://www.boundaryoflove.blogspot.com/ ,
    Enjoy!
on June 11, 2011 at 23:45 afoodobsession

just spent a few days in Copenhagen…LOVED IT..was actually there last Sat/came back to NJ on Sunday. Ravenous to learn more about Danish cooking espcially the sweets!! enjoyed them immensely.
- on June 12, 2011 at 06:13 mydanishkitchen
  
  Ohhh Copenhagen, now I am getting homesick 🙂 It’s so wonderful there this time a year.
on June 10, 2011 at 04:15 Tess

This must be delightful every bite 🙂 Every layers contribute to that luscious piece of cake 🙂
on June 9, 2011 at 12:52 Claudie

I have no idea how to pronounce the name of this cake, but I don’t care!!! I’m loving it! Marcipan + custard == yum! It looks absolutely delicious!
- on June 10, 2011 at 07:02 mydanishkitchen
  
  It was really really delicious. It won’t be the last time I make this 🙂
on June 8, 2011 at 21:28 blackbookkitchendiaries

this looks amazing! i would love to have a slice of this right now!! 🙂 thank you for sharing this.
on June 8, 2011 at 19:34 polwig

That looks divine… I love marzipan and I can only imagine how good this taste… can you send me a piece please?
on June 8, 2011 at 07:51 Annie's Dish

I’ve never had Danish Lagkager but it looks soooo delicious!
on June 2, 2011 at 21:24 Julie M.

Wow does that look good! That is one beautiful cake. A big thanks to Tina for the inspiration. 🙂
on May 31, 2011 at 23:28 Kate@Diethood

My gosh, can I have a slice?! Strawberries and marzipan … oh yes, please!
on May 31, 2011 at 14:23 briarrose

Wow….a slice of that would be heaven right now. Beautiful job.
on May 30, 2011 at 08:59 Sidsel

My mom always made Lagkage for birthdays, and I continue the tradition. My favorite filling has always been canned apricots and custard. And of course the whipped cream on top. I always thought they were better the second day (if there was any left over). Yours looks yummy, and I think I’ll have to try your version. I’ve never had it with the Marzipan, but of course I always have some in the house, never know when I’ll need it.
- on June 1, 2011 at 05:30 mydanishkitchen
  
  Sidsel, the marcipan and makroner in particular really makes this cake wounderful. And yes I agree, even better on the second day if it is’nt gone already. 🙂
on May 30, 2011 at 08:57 Tina@flourtrader

Like the variety of layers and textures that this cake has. This looks very elegant and tasty-perfect for guests. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.