Swedish Tårta

Swedish Tårta

(I talked about this recipe here)

for the cake:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup milk
3/4 cup unsalted butter (12 tablespoons)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

for the custard:
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 large egg yolks
1 vanilla bean
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 bananas, sliced

for the cream:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon sugar
fresh fruit (berries and kiwi both work well)

to make the cake layers:
Preheat oven to 385.
Combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring milk and butter to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Mix heated milk and butter into egg mixture. Beat until it cools down.
Add flour and baking powder to mixture; stir to combine.
Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and dust lightly with flour.
Bake at 385 for 20 minutes.
Remove from pans when cool.
Carefully slice each cake in half horizontally, creating 4 layers.

to make the custard:
Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.
Pour 1/2 cup of milk into the sugar mixture, stirring to form a smooth paste.
Whisk in the remaining milk and egg yolks.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the custard, then add the vanilla bean to the pan.
Cook the pudding mixture over low heat, stirring continuously, until it just starts to thicken and bubble - about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and bananas.
Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.

to make the whipped cream:
Using an electric mixer, beat together the whipping cream and sugar until light and fluffy.

to assemble the cake:
You will be using three of the four cake layers - set aside the fourth cake layer (DR and I usually combine it with any leftover custard and eat it as a snack!).
Put one cake layer on a serving plate.
Using a rubber spatula, spread half of the custard over the bottom cake layer.
Set a second cake layer on top of the custard.
Spread the remaining custard over the second layer.
Top with the third cake layer. Cake will look like this:
Use the rubber spatula to spread whipped cream over the top and around the sides of cake. Garnish with fruit.

makes 12 servings
source: my great-great aunt, Norma