It’s the middle of March and it’s snowing for the fifth time this month. The piles of snow will linger long after spring starts a few days from now. As I watched the white flurries outside the window this morning, I recalled that Scandinavians go to great lengths to keep spirits up in the waning days of winter. Spring flowers are sold at many kiosks
and bakeries prepare seasonal cakes to raise spirits, encouraging hopefulness that winter will soon end.
So, I trudged to a nearby florist and bought a bouquet of yellow and purple tulips which cheered me up and, being housebound for the weekend, I decided to bake a Success Cake, a much-beloved Norwegian dessert.
Norwegians love cakes, many of which are deemed to be national culinary treasures, baked in homes and bakeries for different seasons and on special occasions or just for coffee breaks even in the most remote regions of the country. This Success Cake (Suksessterte), traditionally a spring cake, is one of these cherished treasures.
On my various trips to Norway, regardless of the season, I was always impressed by the cake assortment in restaurants and bakeries. Even in Kirkenes, the northernmost Norwegian community of 3,898 near the Russian border, the local bakery had an amazing assortment of gorgeous marzipan, cream, meringue and nut tortes.
Kirkenes pastry shop
These same and other cakes are available throughout Norway.
Kransekake (ring cake) baked for Christmas, weddings and other special occasions.
Meringue cake baked for May 17, Norwegian Constitution Day
Once a recipe becomes popular, it spreads quickly among bakers throughout a country of 5.3 million inhabitants.
While there are many stories among bakers as to the origin of Success Torte, most seem to focus on Vardø and Vadsø, villages of 2,100 and 6,154 inhabitants respectively, not far from Kirkenes in Finnmark, a county north of the Arctic Circle. It is unclear why bakers in these two tiny remote villages created this special torte, but one legend says the current version is a local adaptation of a recipe brought to the region by sailors navigating the coastal trade route or by a sailor’s foreign bride from a European country with a patissérie tradition.
The Norwegian proclivity for cakes and other sweets can also be explained by the long, dark and cold winters and by the national affection for coffee. The sun barely rises above the horizon in Norway during polar nights from late November to mid-January. During this annual darkness, Norwegians focus on creating a mood-elevating atmosphere, koselig (pronounced koosh-lee), by burning candles the entire day, indulging in comfort food, warming by a crackling fire, cuddling under a soft blanket and snuggling on a comfy couch. Cakes and other sweets are viewed as essential elements of this cozy, feel-good environment.
Furthermore, Norwegians faithfully observe an inviolable tradition of welcoming guests by serving coffee. This is a sign of hospitality. Coffee, usually accompanied by cakes or other baked treats, is the perfect drink for warming the soul on cold dark days and invigorating the body on those long summer days when the sun never seems to set. When I married into a Norwegian American family, I was surprised how many times a day I was offered a cup of coffee and how much coffee my in-laws drank. A fresh pot of Folgers (this was years before Starbucks!) was always being brewed and a cup was always accompanied by cake or pie or cookies, whatever was on hand.
This Norwegian Success Cake is usually baked for Easter and other spring celebrations but also for confirmations of young Norwegians into the Church of Norway, christenings and birthdays. Its bright yellow color from egg yolks, and their connection to rebirth and renewal, heralds the long-awaited end of winter. A Success Cake embodies the best of Norwegian pastry art: a handful of simple readily available ingredients transformed into a luscious pastry confection.
Suksessterte, (also called yellow cake – gulkake- because of its distinctive color), features a custard buttercream frosting and a gluten-free almond meringue sponge. Usually, the cake is a single layer with the custard on top. But the recipe is often assembled, as here, in a two-layer version for Easter or other special occasions. The combination of a moist base full of almonds with a flavorful, silky and light egg cream is heavenly, a wonderful indulgence. It is famously fluffy and light, hard to resist a second piece.
This Success Cake is a great addition to a baker’s cake repertoire. I serve it decorated with chocolate shavings or curls, toasted flaked almonds, milk, dark and white chocolate almonds or small candy eggs for Easter. Even though this cake is rich, some Norwegian bakers suggest adding a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an even more ethereal Nordic treat.
Success Cake (Suksessterte)
Almond layer:
6 egg whites (6 yolks reserved for filling)
2 ⅓ cup (300g) confectioner’s sugar
3 ¼ cups (375g) unblanched almonds
1 teaspoon almond extract
Custard buttercream filling and frosting:
6 egg yolks
⅔ cup (150 ml) heavy cream
5 ½ ounces (180g) granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean or 1½ teaspoons vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces (200g) unsalted butter
Preparing cake layer(s): Pre-heat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Butter an 8 inch (20 cm) springform cake (or two forms for double layers) and line bottom with parchment. (A single layer is too fragile to split into two layers. It is better to bake two separate layers.)
Place almonds and 2 tablespoons of sugar in food processor bowl and pulse until finely ground. (Do not substitute almond flour; most are too finely milled.) Set aside.
Beat egg whites until stiff and glossy while gradually adding half of the confectioner’s sugar a tablespoon at a time. Once half of the sugar is incorporated, add remaining sugar continuing to whip meringue until it is thick and smooth. Fold ground almonds into the batter and spread batter in prepared cake form(s). (If baking two layers, weigh batter and divide evenly between the two pans.)
Lightly tap the pan(s) on the counter to settle batter, smoothing top with of offset spatula as needed. Bake on the bottom shelf of the pre-heated oven for about 15-18 minutes. (Check cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, or with only a few moist crumbs attached to it, the cake is done. Otherwise, the layer needs to bake a few minutes longer.) Remove cake layer(s) from oven and cool in pan(s) for 5 minutes. Then invert onto a dishtowel covered pastry cooling rack. Remove parchment paper and cool to room temperature.
Preparing custard filling: Split vanilla bean with a knife and scrape out the seeds. In a large saucepan combine cream, sugar, vanilla seeds and egg yolks and cook mixture over medium heat stirring constantly. The cream mixture will thicken as it approaches 170˚F (77˚C). (Without an instant-read thermometer, test by dipping a spoon into the custard, and check thickness on the back of the spoon by running your finger through it. The custard on either side of the line made by your finger should not immediately close. A clear path means custard is adequately thickened.) Remove saucepan from stove and continue stirring custard for 5 minutes as it cools. Pour custard into a bowl and place plastic wrap on the surface of the custard to prevent skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
When ready to assemble the cake, remove custard and butter from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat adding custard one tablespoon at a time until frosting is smooth and soft. Place custard in the refrigerator for 1 hour before frosting cake.
Assembly and decoration tips: There are several methods for assembling the Success Cake.
As a single layer, place the cake layer on serving plate and spread custard in a thick, even layer on top or piping a more decorative pattern. The cake side often is not frosted. Decorate as desired.
As a double-layer cake, place one cake layer on serving plate, evenly spread a thin layer of frosting, Then, cover with the second layer, spreading or piping custard as desired.
If custard becomes soft during frosting, refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up before continuing.
Suggested decorations: marzipan or chocolate eggs, marzipan flowers, chocolate-covered almonds, grated or drizzled chocolate and toasted flaked almonds.
One year ago: http://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/country-captain/
Two years ago: http://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/fish-veracruzan-style-pescado-la-veracruzana/
Three years ago: http://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/spring-beet-salads-two-variations-on-a-theme/
