Swedish Midsummer layer cake

I have always wanted to visit Sweden, it seems strange that I haven’t made it to this beautiful Scandinavian country yet, as it’s relatively close to the UK and my mother’s family have roots there. When I do manage a visit, I would love to be there over Midsummer, between the 19th and the 23rd of June. These summer days are long, with almost 24 hours of daylight, and the flowers, fruit and wilds berries are out, ready for picking.

Midsummer eve is celebrated in the countryside; it’s a wonderful occasion where family and friends gather in woods and open flower meadows – here they celebrate the longest day of the year by dancing, gathering flowers, picking berries and enjoying picnics, with many going on all night.

The traditional Midsummer food are pickled herrings, new potatoes served in a sour cream and dill sauce with hard-boiled eggs, Swedish meatballs, gravadlax (cured salmon), Västerbottensost cheese pie, assorted breads and crispbreads. Schnapps and beer is enjoyed with these foods, and for dessert, there is only one way to end your Midsummer picnic meal, and that’s with a slice of strawberry and cream cake, called Gräddtårta med Jordgubbar in Swedish.

The cake is traditionally made with a fatless sponge cake, has three layers at least, all filled with an egg-enriched cream and packed with sweet strawberries. Although I love confectioner’s custard, the type of filling that is used in this classic Swedish cake, I decided to lighten my recipe up a bit, with some advice from a Swedish friend, and I used a simple Chantilly cream for my filling; I also deviated a little and added some fresh raspberries to my cake, as I have so many in the garden right now. But, I feel that most Swedes will forgive me, as they are a nation of berry lovers!

I think that we should all embrace Midsummer this year, and take to the countryside with our favourite picnic food, as well as a few slices of this divine cake!