Silvia Cake
I always try my best to find origins and meanings for the cakes I write about. Sometimes it is not easy, as things get a little lost in history. This cake is known as Silvia Cake in Sweden, presumably after the Queen. My friend Hannah got her Swedish grandmother on the case, who found out the base is an old version of a sponge cake (sockerkaka) but with added water, then known as a fattigmanskaka – or “poor man’s cake”. The topping was later added. Why water is added other than to thin the batter I’m not sure, but it doesn’t work well without it, so do remember to add it.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs plus one yolk
- 160 g caster sugar
- 80 g light brown soft sugar
- seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod (or vanilla sugar/extract)
- 200 g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- Topping
- 150 g butter
- 150 g sugar
- seeds from the 1/2 of the vanilla pod (or vanilla sugar/extract)
- 2 egg yolks
- a few drops of lemon juice
- 75 g desiccated coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or using a hand-held electric whisk), beat the eggs with the caster sugar, light brown soft sugar and vanilla seeds until thick, light and fluffy.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold into the beaten sugar and egg mixture. Slowly add 100 ml cold water and fold until incorporated.
- Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for around 25–30 minutes or until well-risen, golden brown and springy to the touch. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
- Make the icing as soon as the cake is out of the oven. Melt the butter gently in a saucepan, taking care not to brown it. Add the sugar and vanilla and allow to dissolve. Add the egg yolks and whisk until smooth over a low heat. Remove from the heat and add 50 g of the desiccated/dried shredded coconut and stir to a thick icing.
- Preheat the grill. Spread the icing over the cake, then place it under a hot grill for a minute or so until lightly caramelized. Remove from grill and sprinkle over enough coconut to cover the top. Allow to cool before cutting into squares to serve.
Notes
Recipe from Fika & Hygge by Bronte Aurell, published by Ryland, Peters & Small. Photography by Pete Cassidy.
