• Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Dessert First

a san francisco food and travel blog | all things sweet

  • About Me
    • about pastrygirl
    • faq
    • press
    • Contact Me
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • My Books
  • Recipes
    • Breads
    • Cakes
    • Candy
    • Chocolate
    • Cookies
    • Custards
    • Fruit
    • Ice Cream
    • Pastry
    • Tarts
  • Sweet San Francisco
    • Sweet Spots
    • SF Events
  • Travel
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • California
    • Hawaii
  • reviews and recs
    • Cookbooks
    • Chocolate
    • Tools
  • Conversions

Swedish Visiting Cake

Mar 27 by Anita 2 Comments

Swedish Visiting Cake

This Swedish Visiting Cake by Dorie Greenspan is one of the first things I wanted to make when thinking of comfort baking. It’s been a staple in my baking repetoire ever since the first time I made it, and I made it with my daughter Isabelle this last week when we were all at home. It pretty much ticks all the boxes: it’s quick to make, doesn’t require special ingredients or tools (it doesn’t even need a mixer!), and it’s sweet, vanilla-almond flavor appeals to kids and adults alike. Older kids will be able to make this pretty much on their own, while littler ones will love helping. Isabelle is currently mastering the art of cracking open eggs, and she’s getting pretty good at it!

Although it’s called Swedish Visiting Cake, I love making it for myself too! It’s the perfect cake to have around the house when you need an afternoon snack. It’s soft but slightly chewy rather than fluffy like a sponge cake, and almost tastes like it’s made from marzipan. The hints of lemon and vanilla add subtle complexity to the cake; this cake is more like a gentle hug than a boisterous shout. I can’t think of anything better than a slice of this cake with a cup of tea, a book, and the soft spring rain outside this weekend.

Click here to jump to recipe

Swedish Visiting Cake

This is a photo from my original post on the recipe years ago. It’s fun to see what has changed about my style and what hasn’t. I still love making this cake in a cast iron skillet, but you don’t need to – if you don’t have one, a regular cake pan will work just fine. The one in all my photos is actually a smaller 5″ diameter pan, which is why the cake doesn’t go all the way to the top of the skillet. You can halve this recipe and make it in 5″ or 6″ pan, or split the recipe between two 5″ pans, if you want to make smaller size cakes. 

My daughter gave this two thumbs up and wanted to make it again right away. If you’re looking for a simple, satisfying baking project while you’re at home, this definitely tops the list. I hope you are all staying well, and I’ll continue to post all that we’ve been baking at home the last couple of weeks!

Swedish Visiting Cake Held

 

 

Swedish Visiting Cake
 
Print
Author: Anita Chu
Serves: (1) 9" cake
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
  • 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-in ovenproof skillet or a 9-in cake pan.
  2. Place sugar in a medium bowl. Add the lemon zest and blend into the sugar with your fingers until combined and aromatic.
  3. Add the eggs and whisk together until combined.
  4. Add the salt and two extracts and whisk until combined.
  5. Add the flour and fold in with a rubber spatula until fully combined.
  6. Add the butter and fold in with the spatula until the butter is fully incorporated.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and some extra sugar on top.
  8. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and the top is dry to the touch.
  9. Let cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes before running a knife around the edges to loosen it before serving.
3.5.3228

 

Filed Under: Cakes, Cookbooks, Recipes Tagged With: baking from my home to yours, cake, dorie greenspan, swedish visiting cake

Related Posts

  • Peach Tourte FlatlayBrown Butter Peach Tourte
  • Alsatian Apple Tart FlatlayAlsatian Apple Tart (Classic French Tart Aux Pommes)
  • Lemon Verbena Cake FlatlayLemon Verbena Cake
  • French Yogurt Cake FlatlayClassic French Yogurt Cake
  • Mermaid Party FlatlayMermaid Birthday Cake for a 6th Birthday Party
« Sakura Strawberry Cream Puffs
Parmesan Chive Scones »

Comments

  1. 1

    Pamela says

    Mar 28 at 11:34 am

    I couldn’t quite tell when describing the cake if you were saying it DOES resemble a British sponge cake or if it does not resemble this type of cake. This is actually important because I would like to make this cake for my parents but my dad is NOT fond, at all, of the texture of any type of sponge cake which it seems most British cakes seem to have. While I don’t hate it, its not my first choice either. It goes to show people tend to love and prefer what they have during their childhood. That becomes their comfort food. Truthfully, I’m still trying to learn where my dad ever had sponge cake. None of the women on his side of the family ever made this to my knowledge. I accidentally did when I made the original recipe for Boston Cream Pie for him. As it was not all that many years after vast amounts of settlers from England arrived in the New England area, its logical many of their recipes were still ones they knew and loved when living in England. When the average or typical cake changed to the “fluffy” American style cake as our British friends call it, I have no idea. I need to find out. I’m a history fanatic and one of my favorite topics is food history. Had I ever gone for my PhD in history it may have very well been the chosen topic for my dissertation. So I try to avoid sponge cakes for my dad. No sense at 80 years old forcing him to eat a cake he’s not crazy about. If it is, I still want to bake it, I’ll just give it to someone else since I can’t enjoy it as I now have to eat gluten free. Trust me, it is NOT by choice. Considering the number of things I can’t enjoy, I haven’t any clue why someone would do this voluntarily.

    Reply
    • 2

      Anita says

      Mar 31 at 11:28 pm

      Hi Pamela, I meant to say the cake is slighty chewy, unlike a sponge cake which is more airy and fluffy. I definitely wouldn’t call this a sponge cake – you can see there’s no leavening or whipped egg whites to aerate it, so it’s more dense. I would give it a try if you want a no-sponge cake. Thanks for sharing your story, I loved reading it!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





About Me
Mentions in the Press
Want to go to pastry school?
Email me

subscribe to receive posts in your inbox

Archives

best of dessert first


The Making of Macarons (Sucre Cuit Style)

Hong Kong Eggettes (Daan Jai) for Mom


Tis the Season

A Better Brioche for World Bread Day


Consider the Humble Chocolate Chip Cookie

A Feast of Figs


Pure Dessert, Pure Inspiration

My Own Remembrance of Things Past: Dan Tats


The Slow Drip of Coffee on a Languorous Summer's Day

Still Life of Strawberry Tart

disclosure

This site uses affiliate links. Purchasing through the links will give this site commissions. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

about pastrygirl

Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, baby girl, and rescue cockapoo Snickerdoodle. More about pastrygirl

my latest cookbook


My newest cookbook, Lollipop Love, is now out!

stay connected

Subscribe to new posts by email

  • home
  • my books
  • recipes
  • sweet san francisco
  • reviews
  • conversions
  • shop
  • archives
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

© 2006–2023 Anita Chu. All Rights Reserved. Design by Deluxe Designs