White Lady, A Norwegian Classic

Hi you all, I hope you all are doing great✨
It has been a  busy week ( but not complaining just fun stuff) and I did not have time to post any recipe, but there has been a lot of baking going on this week. If it was not for me having dyslexia and exactly writing 2 blogs ( one in English and one in →Norwegian and if a day would have more hours I would probably blog more often then I do!
But when I do finally have the time to post a new recipe; I sure do hope it inspires you, as this is my goal with this baking blog!
Today I´m sharing a recipe that is requested by one of my blog readers a while back, she asked me if I can share the recipe for a Norwegian classic cake called White Lady in Norway we call it Hvit dame it comes from Bergen the town my mom is born in.

You are probably thinking that this looks like a white princess cake or just a regular marzipan cake, but it is not.
This cake is inspired by Sverre Sætre a Norwegian pastry chef that made a white lady cake in one of his books some years ago.
This is my version, and my recipe,  and I certainly hope I made the Norwegians proud with this cake. Because the  Swedish people, weren’t so happy with my version of the Swedish princess cake when I posted it on my ➡️Youtube channel! I got like around 6.5000 dislikes on a cake, but on the other hand, I got 127.000 likes so most people aren’t that made with me I guess!

White Lady cake,  is made with a moist almond cake layer, it is filled with pastry cream that is combined with whipped cream, I then added a vanilla sponge on top, and drizzles it with apricot jam,  I then whipped up heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and vanilla and combined it with coarsely chopped hazelnuts, it gives this amazing crunch, it is so good! then I added another vanilla sponge cake layer. More whipped cream ( lightly flavored with vanilla) and cover the entire cake with white marzipan. ( marzipan is less sweet then fondant it is made from almonds it is so delicious! I sprinkled the top with some icing sugar and placed one white marzipan rose and leaves on top! After all, this cake is called a White Lady! 
I hope you will enjoy this Norwegian Classic Cake because it was one of the best cake I ever have eaten!

White Lady, A Norwegian classic cake from beautiful Bergen 

Cake Layers;

• One 8-inch ( 1 x 20 cm ) moist almond cake get the recipe →here. ( this recipe makes 2 x 8-inch layers you only need one for this cake!)
• 2 x 8 inch ( 2x 20 cm) vanilla sponge cake, get the recipe →here.

Vanilla filling;

• 1 cup ( 250 ml ) heavy cream
• 1/3 recipe of pastry cream, you can find the recipe →here.

Filling;

• 1/3 cup (3/4 dl ) apricot jam
• 1 cup (250 ml)  heavy cream  + 2 tablespoon powdered sugar + 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste.
• 5 tablespoon hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Decoration;

• 3/4 cup ( 200 ml) heavy cream + 1/4 teaspoon real vanilla powder. 
•  500-800 grams white marzipan
• Marzipan rose 

Direction for the cake layers;

• Start by making your 2 x 8 inch ) 20 cm) vanilla sponge cake, you can find the recipe and step by step instruction →here.
• Next, you will need one 8 inch almond cake, you can find the recipe →here.
• Make sure all 3 cake layers are completely cooled, before proceeding with the next step.
• If you love to trim your sponge cake layers you can see this →video how to do that.

Direction for the vanilla filling;

• You need 1/3 recipe of the pastry cream, you can find the recipe →her.
• Make sure the pastry cream is cooled completely, before proceeding with the next step.
• Whip the 1 cup heavy cream in a medium bowl until fluffy, add the cooled pastry cream and with spatula combine.

Fill the cake;

• Place the almond cake layer on a cake board ( make sure the cake board fits in your refrigerator)
• Place dollops of vanilla cream on the first cake layer ( the almond cake)
• Use a small offset palette knife to spread into an even layer.
• Add the next layer ( the vanilla sponge cake) on top, press lightly to make sure it attaches and make sure the sides of the cakes are straight, take a look at the cake from above as this is the best way to see if the layers are lined up.
• Add apricot jam all over the top of the vanilla sponge cake. 
• Whip the 1 cup heavy cream, together with the powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until fluffy, add the chopped hazelnuts and combine with a spatula.
• Place dollops of hazelnut whipped cream on top of the apricot jam ( see step by step pictures below↓) 
• Add the final vanilla sponge cake layer on top, again take a look at the cake from above as this is the best way to see if the layers are lined up.
• Cover the entire cake with a snug layer of plastic wraps.
• Refrigerate the cake for a few hours,  preferably overnight ( it will taste better if you leave the cake in the fridge overnight)
• I use a cake collar around the cake and I use an adjustable cake ring and then I add plastic wraps and a book on top of the cake before I place it into the fridge ( this is optional but I do it this way)

How to cover  the cake with marzipan; 

• Whip up the heavy cream and vanilla until fluffy. ( don’t use sugar for this last cream coat or the marzipan will melt away when you place it in the fridge again.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator, and frost the entire cake with the whipped vanilla cream. 
•  Add a bit more cream on top I like when it has a dome shape.
• Knead the marzipan until it´s smooth and pliable.
• Sprinkle some powdered sugar on to your work surface Roll out the white marzipan to create a circle, enough to cover the cake.
• Keep turning the marzipan over and re-dusting the work surface with powdered sugar to avoid it sticking.
•  Lift the marzipan over the cake using your hands, shape the marzipan around the sides of the cake with your beautiful hands to create a smooth finish without any folds.
• Carefully trim any excess so the base is neat.
• Lightly dust the top of the cake with powder sugar.
• Attach the marzipan rose and leaves with some water and place it on top of the cake.
• Serve, share and enjoy this classic Norwegian white lady cake.

Have a great weekend you all, Love Manuela xoxo

Step by step pictures below ⤵️

• Directions and step by step pictures for the →moist almond cake you can find →here.

• Directions and step by step pictures for the →vanilla sponge cake you can find →here.