I make this cake once or twice during strawberry season and it's always a big hit. It's another Tina Nordström recipe that I've tweaked a bit. For instance, I omitted the rum and added a pinch of salt to the custard. I also cheated and used a store bought sponge cake this time. Home made is so much better.

Here's what you need:

1 10-inch (30 cm) sponge cake

Strawberry Filling
4 pints (2 l) fresh strawberries
a couple of spoonfuls of sugar to sprinkle over the top

Vanilla Custard
2 cups (5 dl) milk
5 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, cut in two lengthwise
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/3 cup (3/4 dl) sugar
1/2 cup dark rum

2 cups (5 dl) heavy cream (for decoration)

This is how you do it

Carefully cut the spongecake into three horizontal layers. Brush the rum onto the top of each layer.

Strawberries
Save half of the strawberries for decoration. Slice the rest of the strawberries and place in a bowl. Mix in the sugar and let it rest until the sugar has dissolved. It should become a little syrupy.

Vanilla Custard
Bring the milk, with the vanilla bean added, to a simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and corn starch. Add 1 tablespoon of water if the mixture becomes too thick. Remove the vanilla bean and then pour the milk over the egg mixture and whisk briskly. Pour the mixture back into the pot. Gently reheat the mixture and continue whisking until it becomes thick and creamy. Pour the cream through a sieve and let cool. Whip 2/3 cup of the heavy cream and fold it in the custard.

Spread half of the vanilla custard and then half of the strawberry filling on the bottom layer of the sponge cake. Place the second layer on top of this and press gently. Repeat the above process before placing the last layer of sponge cake on top.

Tip! If you have extra time on your hands, you may cover the cake in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before decorating. This will give the flavours time to settle a bit and will make a great cake even better! True story!

For serving
Whip the remaining cream. Use a pastry bag with a spout to decorate, working it in an upward movement all around the cake. To crown the work add the remaining strawberries on top.


Look at all that custardy goodness Drool


Strawberry, custard and cake sammich


My piping skills are seriously lacking so I just slapped on the whipped cream. Looks messy but tastes just as good.